Mary Trump, niece of President Donald Trump, is holding him personally responsible for a deadly political shooting in Minnesota that left one lawmaker dead and another critically wounded.
Over the weekend, a man allegedly impersonated a police officer and entered the home of Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Both were shot and killed. The same attacker also opened fire on State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, critically injuring them, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities and Governor Tim Walz are treating the attack as politically motivated. And Mary Trump isn’t mincing words about who she says set the stage for this kind of violence.
“These attacks are the direct result of the dangerous political climate Donald Trump has created, purposefully and maliciously, driven by his need for division and retribution, and his thirst for power,” she wrote in a public statement.
Mary Trump, a psychologist and outspoken critic of her uncle, described the shootings as a targeted act of political violence. “As you may have heard two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses were shot in a targeted and politically motivated attack. State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark were assassinated. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times and there is still hope that they will survive,” she said.
She also urged people to stay alert and mobilize. “Such incidents make even more urgent the need for us to protest while also increasing the need for us to keep ourselves and each other safe,” she added.
No official motive has been confirmed yet, but the incident has shaken Minnesota’s political scene and reignited concerns about rising threats against elected officials.
