A new global study has shed light on an alarming trend: for the first time, more people in the United States identify politics as their primary threat to safety than any other nation. The Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll found that one in ten Americans (10%) pinpointed politics as their biggest daily risk, a stark contrast to the global average of just 1% across 140 countries surveyed.
According to the poll, conducted in partnership with Gallup, this perception of politics as a threat has grown significantly within the US over recent years. The latest figure is a sharp increase from 6% recorded in both 2021 and 2023. Crucially, while road accidents and crime remain more frequently cited dangers, politics now ranks higher than personal health conditions as a concern for many Americans.
Benedict Vigers, senior global news writer at Gallup, described the US figure as "unprecedented" and highlighted that no other country ranked higher. He noted that this suggests the political situation is no longer just a national issue but is perceived as a tangible daily risk to personal safety by an increasing number of people.
The survey findings indicate that these concerns are not confined to specific demographics or political affiliations, with Republicans, Democrats, and independents all similarly likely to identify politics as their greatest concern. Respondents frequently attributed their feelings of insecurity to the opposing political camp or to the country’s increasingly fragmented political landscape, often citing 'polarisation' as a key factor.
The study also echoes other Gallup polling which has indicated a growing disillusionment with politics among Americans. A third of US adults identified politics and government as the country’s most important problem in 2025. These sentiments are underpinned by a decade of increased political violence in the US, including multiple high-profile incidents, localised harassment, threats against election administrators, and the use of tactics like doxing and “swatting” to intimidate political opponents.