There is nothing new about political violence in the United States. But in its current form, it is more concerning than ever before. A deeply polarised society now has both the access and the capability to use technology in novel ways — often to map, train, and weaponise hostile intent.

Extreme partisan politics continues to fuel this growing sense of angst. On Saturday, when President Donald Trump faced what appeared to be a third attempt on his life while attending an event at the Washington Hilton in DC — following earlier incidents, including one in 2024 when he was grazed by a bullet in Pennsylvania — the script felt disturbingly familiar.

In an eerie parallel, President Ronald Reagan was shot just outside the same hotel in March 1981.…