Donald Trump has refused to contact Minnesota Governor Tim Walz following the weekend assassination of pro‑LGBTQ+ House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, allegedly by a man identified as a Trump supporter. Instead, Trump dismissed Walz as “whacked out” and said calling him would “waste time.”
“I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. I’m not calling,” Trump told reporters, according to The Hill. “Why would I call him? The guy doesn’t have a clue. He’s a mess. So… I could be nice and call, but why waste time?”
The alleged gunman, identified as Vance Boelter, is accused of murdering Hortman and her husband on Saturday and critically injuring State Senator John Hoffman and his spouse. Police recovered an alleged hit list naming 70 progressive, Democratic and pro‑abortion politicians in Boelter’s vehicle.
A video emerged last year of Boelter delivering an anti‑LGBTQ+ sermon. Friends also stated his support for Trump, though some right‑wing figures falsely labelled him a left‑wing “Marxist” due to past bipartisan board service under Gov. Walz. Rep. Mike Lee (R‑UT) and others have since deleted or walked back those claims under scrutiny.
Donald Trump Jr. has amplified conspiracy theories, including baseless claims that the transgender “movement” is “extremely violent”—despite evidence that cisgender men perpetrate the majority of violent crimes.
In response to Trump’s snub, a spokesperson for Governor Walz said: “Governor Walz wishes that President Trump would be a President for all Americans, but this tragedy isn’t about Trump or Walz. It’s about the Hortman family, the Hoffman family, and the State of Minnesota, and the Governor remains focused on helping all three heal.”
By contrast, Vice President JD Vance and former President Joe Biden both called Gov. Walz in the days following the attack. The harsh exchange comes as Walz was the Democrats’ vice‑presidential nominee in 2024—a campaign move that appeared to aggravate tensions with Trump.
