Eradicate Hate summit draws 1,600 as violence fears and funding cuts deepen

More than 1,600 people gathered in Pittsburgh and online for the sixth Eradicate Hate Global Summit as a new poll found 33% of Americans see domestic terrorism as the biggest threat. Speakers warned that prevention efforts need more funding even as federal support has fallen and political violence concerns rise.

Why it matters: - A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found 33% of Americans identify domestic terrorism as the biggest threat. - The summit came as prevention groups face shrinking public support, even while organizers say threats are becoming more complex. - Eradicate Hate said sustained prevention work now depends more heavily on private philanthropy and nonprofit partners.

What happened: - More than 1,600 survivors, students, researchers, policymakers and frontline professionals met in Pittsburgh and online Sept. 15-17 for the sixth annual Eradicate Hate Global Summit. - The summit focused on evolving threats and practical ways to prevent hate-fueled violence. - Eradicate Hate was founded by Pittsburgh leaders after the Tree of Life synagogue attack. - The organization also ran a Student Summit on Sept. 14 that drew more than 650 students, educators and partners from 43 schools.

The details: - Brette Steele, president of Eradicate Hate, said funding cuts have weakened organizations across the field just as threats are becoming more complex. - Steele said the summit is meant to help ensure prevention efforts do not stall and that gaps are bridged. - Federal funding cuts eliminated all of Eradicate Hate’s federal funding, and the cuts also affected other organizations across the sector. - Eradicate Hate’s Prevention Practitioners Network connects 2,400 professionals nationwide. - The Reach Out Resource Hub helps people find local support if they are concerned they or someone they know may be at risk of committing hate-fueled violence. - Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, said prevention is a daily practice and the goal is to stop tragedies before they happen. - Dr. Robert Pape of the University of Chicago presented findings showing a significant minority of American adults support political violence across the political spectrum. - Pape called that support the “combustible material” that can push volatile individuals toward attacking, while saying most Americans reject political violence and could be mobilized. - Dr. Garen Wintemute of the University of California, Davis presented research showing most people in a small minority who might commit political violence believe they could be persuaded not to act. - About one-third of those respondents named family members as possible messengers, 30% named friends and 20% cited respected community leaders. - Keynote speaker Dr. Alfred Garfinkle, a Holocaust survivor, physician, psychiatrist and trauma expert, said, “We have to learn, and teach, to hate the action, but not the person.” - Other featured speakers included Brian Fishman of OpenAI, Van Jones and Shari Redstone. - Gonzaga University’s Center for the Study of Hate announced that Eradicate Hate received the 2026 Eva Lassman “Take Action Against Hate” Award. - Eradicate Hate also presented its Bridge Builder Award to David Shapira, retired chairman and CEO of Giant Eagle. - Participating Student Summit schools received $1,000 from the Grable Foundation and Benedum Foundation to support student-led prevention efforts. - Eradicate Hate released a Student Summit Playbook for communities that want to replicate the model. - The organization said access to sessions, transcripts and other resources is available by contacting press@eradicatehatesummit.org.

Between the lines: - The summit paired research with practical intervention tactics, signaling a shift from awareness alone to targeted prevention strategies. - The emphasis on family, friends and community leaders as potential messengers suggests organizers see personal networks as a key tool for intervention. - The federal funding loss raises a broader challenge for the field: the demand for prevention is rising while public dollars are falling.

What's next: - Eradicate Hate is pushing to keep prevention work going through its summit, practitioner network, resource hub and student programming. - The Student Summit Playbook is intended to help other communities launch similar efforts. - Organizers are positioning private philanthropy and cross-sector partnerships as the main path to scaling prevention work.

The bottom line: - Eradicate Hate is trying to turn research on political violence into action at a moment when concern is rising and funding is tightening.