President Donald Trump faced questions Monday about why he did not order U.S. flags lowered in honor of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman, who, along with her husband, was murdered in June in what authorities described as a politically motivated attack. His response — that he was “not familiar” with her case — sparked swift backlash and renewed debate over the handling of politically charged acts of violence.
During a Sept. 15 press briefing in the Oval Office, a reporter asked Trump whether it might have “been fitting to lower the flags to half staff” following Hortman’s death. The Democratic leader of the Minnesota House, Hortman was killed alongside her husband, Mark, at their home in a June 14 attack that Gov. Tim Walz labeled a “politically motivated assassination.” Their dog was also killed.
Trump, 79, responded to the question with, “I’m not familiar. The who?” After the reporter clarified that Hortman was the Minnesota House Speaker assassinated earlier this summer, Trump said he would have lowered the flags if Walz had requested it.
“The governor of Minnesota didn’t ask me,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t have thought of that. But I would have, if someone had asked me. People make requests for the lowering of the flag, and oftentimes you have to say no because it would be a lot of lowering of the flag. [It] would never be up. Had the governor of Minnesota asked me to do that, I would’ve done that gladly.”
The president’s comments drew particular scrutiny given that, just days earlier, he had ordered flags at half-staff in memory of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot during a Sept. 10 rally at Utah Valley University. Graphic footage of Kirk’s assassination spread widely online, and Trump directed flags be lowered “immediately” at all federal sites until Sept. 14.
The disparity between the two cases has ignited criticism from Democrats and others who argue the administration’s gestures of mourning appear selective. Trump’s remarks also came just days after he told Fox & Friends on Sept. 12 that he “couldn’t care less” about bridging the political divide between Republicans and Democrats.
“The radicals on the right, oftentimes, are radical because they don’t want to see crime,” Trump said during that appearance. “They don’t want to see crime… They’re saying, ‘We don’t want these people coming in. We don’t want you burning our shopping centers. We don’t want you shooting our people in the middle of the street.’” He went on to claim that “the radicals on the left are the problem,” calling them “vicious” and “politically savvy.”
The Hortman killings also left Minnesota shaken by the revelation that the alleged gunman, posing as law enforcement, carried out a deadly home invasion that left not only the Hortmans dead but also wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who survived.
The president’s reluctance to formally honor Hortman highlights the growing tensions surrounding political violence, which has surged in recent years and touched both parties. High-profile examples include the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack, the 2022 assault on Paul Pelosi, two assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 campaign, and the arson attack earlier this year on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence.
In Washington, the wave of violence has left lawmakers openly worried about their own safety. House Speaker Mike Johnson has acknowledged widespread unease about congressional security protocols. South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace went further last week, telling reporters she now intends to carry a firearm at all times and will avoid outdoor appearances until “we have a better handle on greater security controls.”
The contrast between Trump’s immediate tribute to Kirk and his apparent unfamiliarity with Hortman — despite her role as a state legislative leader — has only sharpened political divisions over how the nation recognizes victims of violence, particularly when ideology appears to be a motivating factor.