In a recent interview with Time magazine, former President Trump refused to unequivocally rule out the possibility of political violence following the November election if he does not win.
While expressing confidence in a victory, Trump's ambiguous remarks on the fairness of the election raised concerns, particularly in light of the events that unfolded after his 2020 defeat, including the Capitol riot. Critics view Trump's statements as alarming, given his history of disputing election results and his role in inciting the violence on January 6, 2021.
Faculty experts at the George Washington University are available to provide context, commentary and analysis on Trump’s comments concerning political violence. If you would like to speak to an expert, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Tayah Frye at [email protected].
Andrew Thompson is an assistant professor of political science at George Washington University. His research studies how racial demographic changes alter political perceptions and democratic commitments. Further, he explores how racial demographic changes motivate stronger support for anti-democratic practices among the American public. His areas of expertise include political violence, American politics, political psychology, public opinion and race and politics.
Matt Dallek, a professor at GW’s Graduate School of Political Management, is a political historian with expertise in the intersection of social crises and political transformation, the evolution of the modern conservative movement, and liberalism and its critics. Along with four co-authored books, Dallek is the author of Birchers: How the John Birch Society Radicalized the American Right, which explores the history and influence of America’s right-wing activism.
Jon Lewis is a research fellow at the GW Program on Extremism. He studies domestic violent extremism and homegrown violent extremism, with a specialization in the evolution of white supremacist and anti-government movements in the United States and federal responses to the threat. Lewis is the co-author of two major Program reports on the events of January 6th, as well as numerous long form publications on the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and their role in the events of January 6th. In addition, Lewis manages the Program's Capitol Hill Siege database, which is a public tracker for all federal cases stemming from J6 participation.
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