President Donald Trump has declined to contact Minnesota Governor Tim Walz following a politically motivated shooting that resulted in the deaths of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the serious injury of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Trump criticized Walz as “whacked out” and a “mess,” stating that reaching out would be a “waste of time.” Despite issuing a public condemnation of the violence, Trump refrained from offering condolences to the governor, contrasting with the actions of other political leaders, including former President Joe Biden, who did reach out to Walz

The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, was apprehended after a two-day manhunt. Boelter had a history of political activism and had previously been appointed to a state board by Walz. Investigators found a manifesto and a hit list of Democratic officials in his vehicle, indicating a targeted attack. Governor Walz condemned the act as “targeted political violence” and emphasized the need for unity and civility in political discourse . Meanwhile, civil rights groups and community leaders are using the incident to call for greater transparency and reform in the approval process for personalized license plates, highlighting the need for state-issued messages to reflect shared values and not promote hate .