Fact Check: "President Donald Trump stated he 'may' call Minnesota Governor Tim Walz after the political assassination of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark on October 7, 2023."
What We Know
On October 7, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in Minnesota where state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in what has been described as a politically motivated assassination. The shooter, Vance Boelter, was reported to have targeted multiple individuals, including politicians and community leaders, as part of a broader attack on political figures (New York Times).
In the aftermath of this violence, President Donald Trump condemned the shootings, labeling them as "horrific" and stating that such violence "will not be tolerated" in the United States (Axios). When asked whether he would reach out to Governor Walz, Trump expressed criticism of the governor, calling him "grossly incompetent," but also stated, "I may, I may call him" (ABC News). As of the following day, it was confirmed that Trump had not yet contacted Walz (Axios).
Analysis
The claim that President Trump stated he "may" call Governor Walz is accurate, as Trump did indeed use those exact words during an interview. However, the context surrounding this statement is crucial. While Trump left the door open for a potential call, he simultaneously criticized Walz, which may suggest a lack of genuine intent to reach out (ABC News, Mediaite).
The reliability of the sources reporting on this incident varies. The New York Times is generally regarded as a credible news organization with a history of thorough reporting (New York Times). Axios also has a reputation for concise and factual reporting (Axios). However, some sources like Mediaite and AllHipHop may have a more sensationalist approach, which could affect their reliability (Mediaite, AllHipHop).
Overall, while the statement about Trump saying he "may" call Walz is substantiated, the surrounding context of his criticism and the lack of follow-through on that potential call complicates the narrative.
Conclusion
Verdict: Partially True
The claim that President Trump stated he "may" call Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is accurate. However, the context of his criticism towards Walz and the fact that he did not call him within 24 hours of the incident indicates that the claim does not fully capture the situation's nuances. Thus, while the statement itself is true, the implications of Trump's intent and the surrounding circumstances make it only partially true.
Sources
- Political Assassination Rattles Minnesota - The New York Times
- Trump has not called Walz following shooting of Minnesota lawmakers - Axios
- Trump says he 'may' call Walz after Minnesota shootings - ABC News
- MN lawmaker shootings: President Trump says 'such horrific violence will not be tolerated' - Fox 9
- Trump says he 'may' call 'grossly incompetent' Walz after Minnesota shootings - MSN
- Trump has not called Walz after Minnesota shootings - Union Bulletin
- Trump Rips Tim Walz After Assassination of Melissa Hortman - Mediaite
- Donald Trump Insults "Terrible" Minnesota Gov After Assassinations - AllHipHop
