Doom America again: how a new wave of violence in the United States is polarizing society

American society is increasingly divided against the backdrop of civil protests. Tension between supporters and opponents of President Trump's policies is increasing, and experts interviewed by Izvestia warn of a possible increase in political violence. In Minnesota, the murder of the former speaker of the local parliament and the attempted murder of another Democratic politician took place in one day. Large-scale protests were organized under the slogan "No Kings" and were aimed, in particular, against Donald Trump's migration policy. At the same time, thousands of rallies took place across the country on Saturday, while the American president celebrated his 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the US Army by staging a military parade in Washington.

A new wave of violence in the United States

Protests have been going on in the United States for more than a week, which began in Los Angeles after a police raid on illegal migrants. Since then, the movement has swept almost the entire country: on June 14, more than two thousand protests organized by the No Kings initiative group took place in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Nashville, Portland, San Diego, Los Angeles and other cities, according to American media.

According to local journalists, thousands of people took to the streets of American cities on Saturday. It was on this day that a military parade was held in Washington, which was timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the US Army. At the same time, it also coincided with Trump's birthday – he turned 79 years old.

Such movements as the American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible (created as a reaction to the election of Donald Trump in 2016), the pacifist movement Peace Action and others can organize rallies of this scale, Peter Kuznik, director of the Institute for Nuclear Research at the American University in Washington, Professor of history, told Izvestia.

"The scenario is the same, and the same people who make the color revolutions. It is sad that only a few people understand how deep the level of coordination and experience is involved," Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and special presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, wrote on the social network X, agreeing with the publication of former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn that What is happening is a strategy to undermine the authority of the current American administration.

At the beginning of the protests, the US president himself called the protesters "paid rebels," hinting that they were acting under the influence of external forces.

There is growing tension between supporters and opponents of the Republican government, with clashes between the two sides taking place both on city streets and in the media field. In Virginia, a man deliberately drove into a crowd of protesters, a similar incident occurred earlier in San Francisco. In Texas, the local parliament was evacuated after reports of a "threat to state legislators."

In Minnesota, an unknown person posing as a police officer shot dead former speaker of the state House of Representatives from the Democratic Party Melissa Hortman and her husband. The governor of the state, Tim Waltz, called it a "politically motivated murder," and Donald Trump said that such horrific violence would not be tolerated in the United States.

Five days before her death, Hortman supported the decision to reduce access to government health benefits for illegal migrants in Minnesota. The senator was immediately criticized, as she was the only Democrat who joined the Republicans on this issue. The perpetrator of the murder of Melissa Hortman and her husband are still being sought. It is known that a list of names of other representatives of the Democratic Party in Minnesota, who may be future targets of the shooter, was found in the suspect's car.

On the same night, an attempt was made on the life of Democratic Senator John Hoffman and his wife, both survived gunshot wounds. In connection with these events on Saturday, the head of state advised citizens not to attend the protests, and the Indivisible organization announced on social media its intention to cancel the rallies that had begun in Minnesota.

For and against Trump

Initially, the protests in Los Angeles, which became the starting point of riots across the country, were an expression of disagreement with the actions of migration authorities. However, they quickly escalated into opposition to the authoritarian, in the opinion of some Americans, the policy of Donald Trump in general.

— Trump had historically low approval ratings during the first 100 days of his presidency, and now they are even lower. He is a very unpopular president. It took some Americans a while to remember why they disliked him so much. Trump's policy has become cruel and has brought so much suffering and chaos that people are already tired of him and the organizers [of the protests] have chosen the talking slogan No Kings for their action," says Peter Kuznik.

Americans have many reasons to oppose the current president, the expert believes.

"Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines on the streets of Los Angeles, despite the objections of the mayor, the governor and the local police department, banned citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States," he added.

According to him, the country has an unprecedented level of corruption in history, raids on peaceful and hardworking immigrants. In addition, there are problems with the budget, which cuts programs for the poor and working people in order to reduce taxes for billionaires.

Another problem is the attacks on Harvard and other universities, the reduction of research funding, and the outbreak of a trade war with the whole world.

Many Americans also disagree with supporting Israel's policy in Gaza and actually giving the green light for bombing Iran.

– That's why hundreds of thousands of people are protesting. They don't want to see Trump trampling on the Constitution and destroying American democracy," concludes Peter Kuznik.

Despite this, many Americans support the president's decisions in the fight against illegal migration and the suppression of the protest movement. According to Rasmussen Reports political opinion polls, by June 13, the approval rating of the 47th president of the United States had even slightly increased from 50% to 53% since the first rallies in Los Angeles. At this time, tens of thousands of Americans across the country continue to take to the streets of cities, expressing their disagreement with the current situation.

Not all representatives of the branches of government in the United States encourage the protest movement. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson called the protesters part of "radical anti-American groups," and warned that those attacking law enforcement agencies or destroying property would be prosecuted. Florida Sheriff Wayne Ivey said that citizens have the right to peaceful protest, but warned the protesters: "If you throw a brick, an incendiary bomb or point a gun at one of our officers, we will notify your family where to pick up your remains, because we will kill you."

— The United States is very polarized politically. Most Americans either despise or worship Trump, realizing that nothing will change anyway, at least for now," says Richard Bensel, a professor at Cornell University in New York.

Overcoming the crisis of polarization

The polarization of American society will increase, says Jim Jatras, an ex-adviser to the Republican Party. Political murders, like the incident in Minnesota, indicate a deepening division of society, where personal motives are increasingly mixed with political ones.

— Over the years, the country has been and is becoming more and more polarized. Trump has become a "litmus test." Approximately 35% of the population are considered adherents of the cult of the president's personality, and about the same percentage considers him a dictator, the expert says.

According to him, the president does not actually control Congress, although Republicans have a majority in both chambers, and this may hinder overcoming the crisis. If the Republican Party loses its majority in the House of Representatives next year, a new impeachment can be expected, Jatras believes.

Professor Bensel also notes the weakness of Republicans in Congress.

"Trump's problem is that even a slight decline in popularity can jeopardize his ability to pass laws," he said.

Most of the issues that could strengthen Trump's position - for example, resolving Israel's war with Iran or resolving the Ukrainian crisis - are beyond the control of the US president, the expert notes.

Another problem caused by the polarization of society is the growth of aggression and a very likely increase in cases of violence, says Richard Bensel.

— So far, with the exception of the attack on the Capitol in 2021, almost all political violence has been committed by individuals who have been quite alienated from American society, including their friends and families. The behavior of such individuals is unpredictable, while they are mentally unstable, and the current tense political situation in the United States gives focus and purpose to their disordered psyche. As a result, we are likely to see more frequent episodes in the future, similar to what happened in Minnesota," the expert believes.

However, a number of experts are confident that the crisis will be overcome. The intensification of the American political discourse on the polarizing issue of immigration policy contributes to the "convergence and centering of the positions of Republicans and Democrats," according to HSE expert Egor Toropov.

— The peak of the protests against the anti-immigration raids of the Trump administration has already passed. And the violent actions will gradually come to naught. Trump has already announced the suspension of raids on hotels, restaurants, and farms – key areas of employment for illegal immigrants – and at the same time continues to highlight both the overall increase in deportations and efforts to block channels for further illegal immigration. - There is bipartisan support for the idea that it is actually acceptable for a certain number of illegal immigrants who are already working in the country to be in the country, while at the same time tightening the border security regime.

Anyway, the incessant protests, political assassinations and growing violence are clear symptoms of a split in American society. Some see Trump as a threat to democracy, while others support his methods of reviving a great nation, while at the same time an ideological divide is widening. The possibility of overcoming the crisis and preventing serious civil conflicts remains in question, which is necessary to restore the former party compromise.