Nearly 40% of young Americans say political violence can be justified in certain situations

Nearly 4 out of 10 young people believe political violence can be acceptable in certain situations, according to a new poll from Harvard University’s Kennedy School. The 2025 Harvard Youth Poll, released Thursday, surveyed more than 2,000 young people aged 18 to 29 across the country about politics, their outlook on America and their views on political violence. According to the findings, 28% of respondents said political violence could be justified when the "government violates individual rights," 12% said when "election outcomes are fraudulent" and 11% pointed to situations in which someone promotes extremist beliefs.