are we in a civil war

As of late 2025, the United States is not currently in a civil war. While there are heightened political tensions and sporadic instances of political violence, these do not meet the academic and historical criteria for a civil war. A civil war requires organized armed conflict between a government and an internal opposition group resulting in significant battlefield deaths on both sides, which is not present in the U.S. today. Rather, the current situation involves polarized political rhetoric and occasional violence by lone individuals rather than a coordinated civil conflict. However, some commentators warn about increasing internal divisions and political violence that could escalate if not addressed, but the risk of an actual civil war in 2025 remains negligible. Globally, there are several ongoing and severe conflicts that can be classified as civil wars, such as in Sudan and Ukraine, but these are separate from the U.S. domestic situation. In summary, while tensions and violent incidents exist, there is no civil war occurring in the United States in 2025, according to expert assessments and scholarly definitions.