Inside the Donald Trump and Tim Walz feud

The long-simmering feud between President Donald Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has taken another turn — this time in the aftermath of a political assassination in Minnesota.

Assassination of Minnesota Lawmakers

In June, a targeted attack on multiple Minnesota lawmakers left former Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband dead, as well as Senator John Hoffman and his wife wounded. According to authorities, the gunman, Vance Boelter, had a hit list that included dozens of other Democrats. Prosecutors allege he also visited the homes of Senator Ann Rest of New Hope and Representative Kristin Bahner of Maple Grove, both of whom were potential targets.

Trump refuses to call Walz

Despite the scale of the tragedy, President Trump refused to offer condolences to Governor Walz. “Why would I call him? I could call and say, ‘Hi, how you doing?’ The guy doesn’t have a clue,” the president said. “He’s a mess. So I could be nice and call, but why waste time?” Historically, U.S. presidents have reached out across party lines following violent events or natural disasters. Trump did, however, offer his sympathy to the victims after the incident. “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!” the president wrote on Truth Social.

Governor Walz responds

A spokesperson for the Minnesota governor responded to President Trump’s refusal to call him following the shooting. “Governor Walz wishes that President Trump would be a president for all Americans,” said spokesperson Teddy Tschann. “But this tragedy isn’t about Trump or Walz, it’s about the Hortman family, the Hoffman family, and the State of Minnesota. The Governor remains focused on helping all three heal.” Walz, who had worked closely with Speaker Hortman during her time in the Minnesota Legislature, publicly mourned her death. “Our state lost a great leader, and I lost a dearest friend,” Walz said during a press conference at the time.

Trump vs. Walz timeline

This latest dispute is just the recent chapter in a long-running feud between Trump and Walz — one that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Walz issued a statewide stay-at-home order to curb the spread of COVID-19. In response, Trump tweeted, “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” The tweet inspired anti-lockdown protests, some of which occurred outside the governor’s residence. “It brought armed people to my house,” Walz later told Politico. “It certainly ratcheted up the social media side of things and put the security folks more on alert.” Following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, large-scale protests broke out across the state. Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard, deploying more than 7,000 troops. At the time, Trump expressed support for Walz’s handling of the protests. A leaked recording from a June 2020 phone call shows Trump praising Walz as an “excellent guy” and saying he was “very happy” with the response. However, as the 2024 election heated up and Walz became Kamala Harris‘ running mate, Trump and his allies said otherwise. “He let Minnesota burn,” Trump said at a rally in St. Paul. “When anarchists and Marxists came to burn down Minneapolis… Remember me? I couldn’t get your governor to act.”

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