Post-Trump political climate fuels 'alarming surge' in online hate

According to data released by a non-profit organization that tracks online defamation and violent threats against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), anti-Asian hate incidents have surged since the 2024 presidential election. The organization's data indicates a significant increase in discriminatory and threatening behavior targeting Asian communities post-election, raising widespread concerns.

Stop AAPI Hate, the largest organization in the U.S. tracking such data, notes that anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric from U.S. President Trump and his allies has led to a "shocking" wave of online hate, primarily targeting the South Asian community. Research shows that in December 2024, when billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy called for an increase in H-1B visas, anti-South Asian sentiment rose significantly, coinciding with Trump's campaign targeting immigrants and minorities.

Indian nationals are the largest beneficiaries of the H1-B visa program. The report points out that Indian immigrants are accused of "stealing jobs," especially in white-collar industries, thereby threatening "white livelihoods." Although the H-1B visa debate mainly revolves around Indian tech workers, hatred against Indian Uber drivers, fast-food employees, and call center workers also exists. Following the murder of the CEO of UnitedHealth Group, there were even calls to attack Indian and Indian-American CEOs.

While anti-East Asian hate also rose following discussions on the H-1B program, data shows that rhetoric surrounding the Chinese-owned video platform TikTok and artificial intelligence company DeepSeek, as well as videos allegedly depicting new Chinese military aircraft, also exacerbated this phenomenon. Historical data shows a correlation between negative news coverage of immigrants and/or their countries of origin and hostility towards such groups.

Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance, stated in the report: "We are deeply alarmed by the latest wave of hate facing the Asian community, both in cyberspace and in real life." She added: "Trump and his loyal supporters have been stoking anti-Asian scapegoating and bigotry for years. Today, they continue to fuel racists to commit hateful acts."

AAPI has been monitoring online defamation and violent threats against the Asian community in online extremist spaces. Data shows that January 2025 saw the highest number of anti-Asian slanders since monitoring began in August 2022, totaling 87,945. Anti-Asian slander increased by 66% after Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election, with 75% of the slander targeting the South Asian community, totaling 63,258. In January 2025, anti-East Asian slander also rose sharply, up 54% compared to December 2024 and up 51% compared to the post-election November 2024, totaling 23,287.

Online violent threats against the Asian community reached their highest level in December 2024, likely attributable to debates about H-1B among Trump supporters, some factions of whom are pushing for more extreme anti-immigration policies. Of the threats in December, 76% targeted South Asians, equivalent to 884 online violent threats. Existing research suggests a correlation between real-life hate crimes and online hate speech. Since data on real-life hate acts often takes months or years to be released, cyberspace can serve as an early warning system for what is happening in real time.

Cynthia Choi, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, said in the report that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are bearing the brunt of the escalating political climate. "As the only racial group comprised primarily of foreign-born individuals—accounting for one-seventh of undocumented immigrants—the AAPI community is suffering devastating harm from Trump's xenophobic agenda."