President Donald Trump appeared caught off guard Monday when asked if it would have been fitting to lower the nation’s flags after Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was assassinated this summer.
“Uh, I’m not familiar. The who?” Trump said in response to CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes, before adding that he would have agreed to the gesture if Gov. Tim Walz had formally asked. “Had the governor of Minnesota asked me to do that, I would have done that gladly,” Trump said from the Oval Office.
The exchange underscored Trump’s uneven reactions to recent political violence. He had quickly ordered flags lowered last week after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while giving a speech in Utah, calling it “a dark moment for America.”
He called Kirk a “martyr for truth” and blamed “the radical left” for the atmosphere of violence. “They liken conservatives to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals,” Trump said. “That rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today and it must stop right now.”
By contrast, Trump had dismissed Hortman’s killing in June as “a terrible shooting” but refused to call Walz, saying aboard Air Force One: “The guy doesn’t have a clue. He’s a mess. So, you know, I could be nice and call him, but why waste time?”
At the time, former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris attended Hortman’s funeral, while President Trump spent the weekend golfing with Republican senators and posting on social media: “WHY ARE THE DEMOCRATS ALWAYS ROOTING AGAINST AMERICA???”
Kirk’s death sent shockwaves across conservative circles, with MAGA figures such as Elon Musk and Steve Bannon vowing retaliation on social media and podcasts.
Trump also recited a list of incidents he framed as examples of left-wing violence, including the attempt on his own life during last year’s presidential campaign, the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December, the 2017 shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise, and “the attacks on ICE agents,” Trump said.
However, the president made no mention of the murders of Hortman and her husband, nor the shooting of Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who were shot and wounded in a related attack. He also left out the hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, the Trump supporter who mailed pipe bombs to Democrats, and the threats against his former Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6, 2021.
Critics accused Trump of fueling division by showing sympathy for Kirk, the conservative figure, while continuing to minimize or dismiss attacks that claimed the lives of Democrats.
“Trump orders flags to be at half staff for a political influencer. AN INFLUENCER. But when 2 Minnesota House members, POLITICIANS, were assassinated, he didn’t even bother to call the governor and said it would be ‘a waste of time.’ Do you see the difference here?” one observer wrote on Threads.
One of the president’s traditional roles is to help heal the nation in moments of crisis by uniting Americans across divides. But instead of striking that tone, Trump quickly blamed “the radical left” for Kirk’s murder, politicizing the tragedy in real time and further amplifying partisan fault lines.
Cordes also pressed Trump on Monday on why he portrays political violence as coming only from the left. Trump replied: “I didn’t say it was on one side. But I say the radical left causes tremendous violence, and they seem to do it in a bigger way. But the radical left really has caused a lot of problems for this country.”
Online reaction was swift. Journalist Aaron Rupar posted the exchange, writing: “Q: ‘Do you think it would’ve been fitting to lower the flags to half staff when Melissa Hortman, the Minnesota House Speaker, was gunned down by an assassin?’ TRUMP: ‘Uh, I’m not familiar. The who?”
Commentators accused Trump of callousness.
“Absolutely disgusting. A woman loses her life and the leader’s response is basically, ‘never heard of her,’” one critic wrote. “No empathy, no respect, not even the decency to acknowledge her humanity.”
Another on X added: “He’s an awful person or has dementia. Probably both.”
Trump supporters pushed back against the criticism, accusing reporters of political theater.
“Oh yes, the journo-activists and their perceived ‘gotcha’ questions… They don’t hesitate to use murder victims as a gaslighting tool,” one conservative wrote.
However, Cordes did not ask if Utah’s governor had requested the flag order for Kirk or if Trump made the move unilaterally.
Another Trump defender minimized Hortman’s death in comparison to Kirk’s: “lol you’re implying a comparison that is not even close. Charlie was murdered live in front of the world because of his faith and exercising America’s foundational right, free speech and peaceful discourse. Above all Charlie was well known around the world and a close friend to @realDonaldTrump.”
Over the past week, critics have argued the contrast underscores Trump’s selective empathy.
“Trump orders flags to be at half staff for a political influencer. AN INFLUENCER. But when 2 Minnesota House members, POLITICIANS, were assassinated, he didn’t even bother to call the governor and said it would be ‘a waste of time,’” one observer wrote.
At Hortman’s funeral, Walz urged Americans to find common ground. “Without ever losing sight of our common humanity,” he said.
Trump’s response has instead deepened divides, raising questions about whether the president sees violence against Democrats as worthy of the same national mourning he demands when Republicans are targeted.
