When asked if he would call Minnesota Governor Tim Walz after two Democratic lawmakers were shot—one killed—over the weekend, President Donald Trump didn’t offer sympathy. Instead, he insulted the governor.
“I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. I’m not calling,” Trump told reporters Tuesday aboard Air Force One. “Why would I call him?”
Trump didn’t stop there. “The guy doesn’t have a clue. He’s a mess. So, you know, I could be nice and call, but why waste time?”
The remarks came just days after former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed in their home. Another Democratic lawmaker, State Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife were also shot in a separate attack. Both survived after emergency surgery.
Officials say both shootings were politically motivated. The shooter, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder and stalking. Authorities found a notebook in his car with a list of over 45 elected officials.
Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024 and a former colleague of Hortman, was visibly shaken when he confirmed her death.
“My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination,” Walz said at a press conference. “Our state lost a great leader, and I lost a dearest friend.”
Despite the gravity of the attack, Trump used the moment to take a swipe at Walz, refusing to make a condolence call.
The White House issued a separate statement from Trump shortly after the shooting: “I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers,” it read. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted the message online.
“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law,” Trump added.
As of Tuesday, Walz’s office had not responded to Trump’s remarks. Watch the video below:
