President Donald Trump said he would not call “whacked out” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz following the assassination of state Representative Melissa Hortman and the attempted assassination of state Senator John Hoffman over the weekend, calling a condolence call a “waste of time.”
Trump made the remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday as he returned from an international summit in Canada.
It is the second time since Saturday’s shootings that the president has publicly attacked Walz’s character.
Newsweek has contacted Walz’s office via email for comment.
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Kerem Yücel/Mark Schiefelbein/Minnesota Public Radio via AP/AP Photo
Why It Matters
The White House’s response to political violence has traditionally included gestures of unity, such as condolence calls to affected state officials.
Trump’s comments mark a sharp departure from that pattern, though the president issued a statement following Saturday’s shooting, saying that “such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America.” He also described Minnesota as “a truly great place.”
What To Know
When asked early Tuesday about reaching out to Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, Trump said: “I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. I’m not calling him. Why would I call him?
“I could call him, say ‘Hi, how you doing?’ The guy doesn’t have a clue. He’s a mess. So I could be nice and call him, but why waste time?”
The refusal came days after shootings that killed Hortman and her husband, and left Hoffman and his wife seriously injured. The gunman was posing as law enforcement, and Walz called the shooting of Hortman “a politically motivated assassination.”
Authorities arrested Vance Luther Boelter on Sunday in connection with the attacks. Boulter drove to multiple politicians’ homes as part of a planned attack, according to authorities.
A spokesperson for Walz indicated that Trump had not called the governor as of Sunday afternoon, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune, while former President Joe Biden reached out “right away” on Saturday, and Walz had spoken with Vice President JD Vance about ongoing federal-state cooperation.
Trump on Sunday called Walz a “terrible governor” and “grossly incompetent,” according to ABC News. Walz described Hortman as the “dearest of friends.”
Trump’s criticism of Walz followed a pattern established during the 2024 presidential campaign, when Walz was then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. The Democratic ticket lost their White House bid to Trump and Vance.
Walz, for his part, has thrown a few choice words Trump’s way, too. In a commencement speech at the University of Minnesota Law School last month, Walz described the president as a “tyrant” who undermines civil rights and the rule of law. He warned graduates that they were entering a “genuine emergency” where Trump was “trampling rights” and abusing power to persecute scapegoats.
He has called on Democrats to be “meaner” and to “bully the s***” out of Trump. He referred to Trump as a “wannabe dictator” and emphasized the need to confront him aggressively.
What People Are Saying
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Monday, following the arrest of Vance Boulter: “As we heal, we will not let fear win. We must now move forward in Melissa’s honor with understanding, service and, above all, a sense of one another’s humanity.”
What Happens Next
Authorities said investigations into the shootings are ongoing, with legal proceedings against Boelter underway.
Update, 06/17/2025, 12:03 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information
