President Trump said Monday he would have ordered flags lowered in honor of the Minnesota state lawmaker assassinated this summer at her home if the request had been made.
The White House has paid tribute to slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a close Trump ally, ordering flags at half-staff after Kirk was fatally shot during a Utah college speaking event. Critics have questioned why similar gestures were not made following the fatal shooting of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband in June.
“Had the governor of Minnesota asked me to do that, I would have done that gladly,” Mr. Trump told CBS News’ chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes while taking questions in the Oval Office.
In June, Trump was asked aboard Air Force One whether he had contacted Governor Walz after the Minnesota attack. Another lawmaker was also targeted in the attack, and he and his wife sustained serious injuries.
“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?” Trump said of Walz.
Cordes also questioned why Trump has claimed political violence mostly comes from one side.
“I didn’t say it was on one side,” Trump replied. “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.”
Trump has attributed Kirk’s assassination to “radical left political violence.” Following Kirk’s death, he cited other incidents, including last year’s assassination attempt against him in Pennsylvania, the 2017 shooting of Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, and the December killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO.
Investigators have not disclosed a suspected motive behind Kirk’s shooting.
Trump’s examples notably omitted recent attacks targeting Democrats, including Hortman’s death, an assault on Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s husband at their California home, and an arson attack at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence.
Trump did comment on Hortman’s death, calling it a “terrible shooting” that “appears to be a targeted attack,” adding:
“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated.”
