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US Capitol Police disclosed on Thursday that they investigated over 8,000 threats against members of Congress in 2023, marking a significant increase from the approximately 7,500 threats recorded in 2022. This figure is still lower than the record-high 9,600 threats in 2021.
Assistant Chief Ashan Benedict of the Capitol Police highlighted the agency’s commitment to safeguarding Congress amidst various threats received through mail, phone calls, social media, and other online platforms. With the upcoming presidential election, an uptick in threats is anticipated.

In a statement, Chief Benedict said, “Our team is dedicated to putting all of our resources into protecting the Congress while we continue to grow in order to keep up with our expanding mission.”
2022 marked the first year in the past five years where there was a decrease in threats against lawmakers. However, 2023 continued the overall upward trend in such threats.
In response to these increasing security concerns, the Capitol Police have significantly improved its intelligence, planning, training, staffing, and equipment over the last three years.