Americans are now 10 times more likely than the global average to view their own political environment as the primary threat to their personal safety. According to the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll, 10% of U.S. respondents identified politics as their greatest daily risk, a figure that marks a record high and distinguishes the United States as the only nation where politics is cited more frequently than health conditions as a top safety concern.
The Rise of Political Risk Perception
The perception of politics as a personal danger has surged within the United States. Data from the World Risk Poll shows that the number of Americans citing politics as their biggest risk rose to 10% this year, up from 6% in 2021 and 2023. Benedict Vigers, a senior global news writer at Gallup, which partnered on the research, noted that this 10% figure is “unprecedented” and represents a uniquely American challenge.
“It speaks to how charged the political environment is and has been for many years in the United States that people are now saying that the political situation is not just an issue nationally but is a seeable daily risk to their safety,” Vigers said. While road accidents and crime remain more likely to be cited as the worst dangers, the subjective fear of political instability has eclipsed other traditional concerns in the public consciousness.
Did you know?
The U.S. is the only country in the 140-nation survey where more people named politics as their greatest personal safety risk than personal health conditions.
Polarization Across Demographic Lines
The anxiety regarding political safety does not adhere to traditional demographic divides. Research indicates that concerns are consistent across age, gender, education, and political party affiliation. Both Republicans and Democrats, as well as independents, are equally likely to point to the current state of the country as a source of personal insecurity.
Respondents frequently cite political polarization as the catalyst for their fear. Some individuals blame the opposing political camp, while others describe a broader, systemic fragmentation. One 42-year-old independent respondent told researchers that they feared “political extremism” and the potential for violence from those “fanatical about their position.” A 69-year-old Democratic woman echoed this, stating, “The political situation has a lot to do with the fact whether if I am safe or not.”
Erosion of Confidence in Governance
This heightened sense of risk coincides with a broader trend of public alienation from the American government. According to 2025 Gallup data, 58% of Americans believe the government does not care about them at all—the highest level of public detachment ever recorded in the survey. This figure represents an 11-percentage-point increase since 2021.
The U.S. currently ranks among the most alienated nations within the OECD, trailing only Greece and Colombia in public distrust. This disillusionment is further reflected in the finding that one-third of U.S. adults now identify politics and government as the country’s most important problem. Additionally, 5% of Americans in 2024 named the United States itself as its own greatest enemy, a record-high figure.
Contextualizing Political Violence
The uptick in reported fear follows a decade marked by high-profile instances of political instability. These events include the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, three assassination attempts against Donald Trump, and the 2025 killing of Charlie Kirk. Beyond national headlines, election administrators have reported a rise in localized harassment, death threats, and the use of “swatting” to intimidate political opponents.
Other countries have registered similar concerns, though at lower levels. Hungary recorded 9% in the poll, while Serbia, Latvia, and Lithuania followed at 6%. Despite these international parallels, the intensity of the sentiment in the U.S. remains an outlier, with the global average for identifying politics as a primary risk standing at just 1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is political anxiety higher among specific political parties?
No. The survey found no statistically significant differences in levels of concern based on political affiliation; Republicans, Democrats, and independents are all similarly likely to view politics as a risk.
How does this compare to other global nations?
The U.S. is a global outlier. While the global average for citing politics as the greatest daily risk is 1%, the U.S. figure is 10%. Only Hungary came close, at 9%.
What factors do citizens cite as the cause of this fear?
Respondents pointed to extreme polarization, the threat of violence from fanatical partisans, and a general sense that the political environment has become inherently unsafe.
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