How did Trump respond differently to the killings of Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman?

MSNBC Live recently reported on how former President Donald Trump reacted in very different ways to two political assassinations in 2025.

The article, published on September 13, 2025, by MSNBC Opinion writer Zeeshan Aleem, pointed out that Trump’s public mourning was not the same for Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman.

This difference has raised questions about whether political identity influenced his actions. MSNBC strongly criticized Trump’s approach, saying it suggested a partisan double standard.

According to the report, Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025.

Trump quickly lowered American flags to half-staff, announced the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Kirk, and delivered a video address calling the killing a national tragedy.

In contrast, after the June 2025 assassination of Melissa Hortman, former Minnesota House Speaker, Trump made only a short post on Truth Social and did not attend her funeral. He also suggested that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was partly responsible, a claim that was dismissed by investigators.

The article highlights that MSNBC sees Trump’s actions as unequal responses to similar tragedies, sparking debate over how leaders should handle political violence.
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Donald Trump’s reaction to Melissa Hortman’s killing 

Melissa Hortman, the former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was killed in June 2025 in what police described as a lone-wolf assassination.

The suspect reportedly had a hit list targeting mostly Democratic politicians and figures connected to abortion rights.

Trump’s response was limited. On Truth Social, he posted that “such horrific violence will not be tolerated.” He did not release a full statement or deliver an address to the nation. When asked if he had called Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Trump replied,

“I could be nice and call, but why waste time?”

He also suggested, without evidence, that Walz bore some responsibility for the events.

MSNBC noted that this stood out because former President Joe Biden went to Hortman’s funeral and gave a public message of sympathy. In comparison, Trump’s short remarks did not reflect the seriousness of the crime.

The article added that Trump’s limited reaction meant the national focus on the political threat behind the killing was weaker. “He didn’t do much else,” Aleem wrote, pointing to Trump’s minimal response after Hortman’s death.

Some critics said that by saying so little, Trump avoided talking about right-wing violence, even though the suspect was linked to those beliefs.

This raised concerns that political violence was being judged differently depending on whether the victim was a Democrat or a Republican.
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Donald Trump’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s killing 

When Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University, Donald Trump responded with urgency and ceremony. He immediately ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff at federal buildings, U.S. embassies, and military posts.

He announced that Kirk would be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.

In a video address from the White House, Trump called the killing a national tragedy and promised strong action. According to MSNBC, he made “wildly irresponsible assumptions about the then-unknown suspected killer’s motives.”

Trump focused on condemning left-wing violence, without mentioning right-wing violence. He also said he would bring the power of government against his political opponents.

On Fox & Friends, Donald Trump said,

“The radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don’t want to see crime … The radicals on the left are the problem.”

This statement suggested that he viewed right-wing extremists more favorably than left-wing activists.

MSNBC wrote that this message echoed Trump’s 2020 “stand back and stand by” comment to the Proud Boys. Critics said it could be understood as sympathy toward right-wing violence.

By reacting so strongly to Charlie Kirk’s death, Trump created a sharp contrast with his limited response to Hortman’s assassination. As Aleem noted,

“Republican lives matter more than Democratic lives, Trump is effectively telling his base.”

The difference in tone has fueled debate about fairness and consistency in addressing political violence.
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