Melania Trump’s response to the devastating school shooting in Minneapolis has ignited a firestorm online—one that questions not just the message, but who, or what, wrote it.
In a sharply worded statement on X, the former First Lady called for “pre-emptive intervention” to combat school shootings, emphasizing “behavioral threat assessments” as a means to catch would-be attackers before they act. Her statement came just hours after a gunman opened fire during a morning mass at Annunciation Catholic School, killing two children—aged eight and ten—and injuring 17 others before turning the weapon on themselves.
“The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters,” she wrote. “Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors and making violent threats online prior to their actions.”
The language was polished, clinical, and almost detached—raising more than a few eyebrows.
“Scripted by ChatGPT 🙄,” one user scoffed. Others asked directly: “Did ChatGPT write this?”
Even some of Trump’s own supporters weren’t convinced. Quentin Milton, a self-described MAGA conservative, responded cautiously: “While I do agree we need to be better at identifying warning signs, we also have to be careful not to fall down the slippery slope into unconstitutional surveillance.”
Critics weren’t nearly as diplomatic.
“This is just another way to avoid the point—which is that there are half a billion death machines here that need to be shot into the sun,” wrote Jim Stewartson, slamming the statement for sidestepping America’s gun problem entirely. “The guy was schizophrenic for years, and still collected a fucking arsenal. Also, he was 23, not in high school.”
Another commenter asked bluntly: “What about GUNS, Melania?”
Others pointed to the international scale of mental health issues. “Mental health issues exist everywhere in the world! Only in America that there are so many mass shootings involving assault weapons. Do the math!” wrote @imatweet25.
Even more damning was the underlying suggestion in Melania’s post—that families, schools, and social media platforms shoulder the responsibility for spotting red flags, while the ease of access to firearms remains largely untouched.
“Focusing only on ‘warning signs’ shifts responsibility onto families and schools while ignoring how absurdly easy it is to get a gun,” one user fired back. “Threat assessments won’t mean much if every red flag kid can still walk into a store and buy an AR-15.”
While Melania later expressed personal sympathy—“My heart was shattered… There is nothing that anyone can say to make your grief go away, but please know that you are not alone”—the damage was already done. To many, the initial post read less like an authentic human response to a tragedy and more like a policy paper generated by a machine.
“Did AI write this too?” one commenter asked, echoing a now-familiar refrain in online political discourse—where tone-deaf statements are increasingly met with suspicion of automation.
The shooter, identified as Robin Westman, had reportedly posted a disturbing video manifesto on YouTube prior to the attack. The content, now removed, showed weapons carved with racial slurs and a death threat against Donald Trump. Authorities said Westman idolized other mass shooters and had been open online about violent ideations.
Despite these signs, Westman was able to legally obtain multiple firearms.
Still, Melania’s call to action remained focused on detection, not prevention. “Being aware of these warning signs and acting quickly can save lives,” she concluded.
But in a nation where guns outnumber people, many weren’t buying it.
“How about pre-emptive screening before selling of weapons to crazy people. Just a thought,” wrote Alexander Scott Tullis.
Then there were the conspiracy theorists, who twisted her call for intervention into something darker. “The government’s involvement in our lives must be extremely diminished. It is the only way to stop these tragedies from being orchestrated by government officials,” wrote @hamman2471.
And finally, there were a few voices of support—though even those raised eyebrows.
“You are our modern-day Princess Diana,” gushed one user. “Thank you for your goodness, grace, and class. We love you ❤️.”
But for most Americans grieving another incomprehensible school massacre, grace and class weren’t enough.
They wanted answers. They wanted action.
And they wanted something written by a human being.
