Donald Trump “brings out the worst in people, and he brings out the worst in me,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stated in a recent interview, striking an apologetic tone over his earlier comments urging Democrats to “bully the shit out of” the Republican president. Walz, who was Kamala Harris’s running mate in her unsuccessful bid for the White House against Trump last November, made these remarks during a conversation with Minnesota news station KMSP, published on Thursday.
The governor’s comments follow his late May call for Democrats “to be a little meaner … a little more fierce” against Trump, as the party sought to regroup after their electoral defeat. This rhetoric gained renewed attention in the aftermath of a tragic event on 14 June, when former Minnesota state house speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot at their home in Brooklyn Park. The assailant also wounded Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, before surrendering to authorities the following night.
Political Rhetoric and Tragedy
KMSP’s interview with Walz marked his first television appearance since the Hortman assassinations. In reference to his previous remarks about Trump, Walz acknowledged, “Do we have to watch some of that? Yeah.” He further expressed his grief while eulogizing Melissa Hortman at her funeral on 28 June, reiterating, “Donald Trump brings out the worst in people, and he brings out the worst in me – because I have certainly never been accused of that with anybody else.”
Walz attributed his frustration with Trump to the president’s confrontational political style. He accused Trump of neglecting the Hortman family in the wake of their deaths. Trump’s statement following the incident acknowledged the tragedy but emphasized that contacting Walz would be a “waste of time,” stating, “I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. Why would I call him?”
Legal Proceedings and Allegations
Meanwhile, a federal grand jury has indicted Vance Boelter, the suspect in the shootings, on charges including murder and stalking. Court documents revealed a handwritten letter from Boelter claiming responsibility for the attack and alleging that Walz had coerced him into targeting Minnesota’s Democratic US senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. Both Walz and prosecutors have dismissed these claims as false.
Walz disclosed that while he was aware of Boelter, who had been appointed to Minnesota’s workforce development advisory board, he did not personally know him. “Never, to the best of my ability, was [I] anywhere around” Boelter, Walz stated. “[I] certainly don’t know him or talk to him.”
Political Future and Reflection
Despite the turmoil, Walz has expressed interest in pursuing a third term as governor in 2026, an office without term limits. Some political analysts speculate that he might also consider a run for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
Reflecting on the recent events, Walz expressed his regret over not having had the opportunity to build a friendship with Melissa Hortman outside of political office. “I think that’s the piece that I regret,” he said, underscoring the personal impact of the tragedy.
The developments underscore the heightened political tensions in the United States, where rhetoric and violence have increasingly intersected. As Walz and other leaders navigate these challenges, the focus remains on healing and moving forward in a deeply divided political landscape.
