ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, nearing the Minnesota border — President Trump, in a bad mood perceiving disrespect from G7 world leaders at an Alberta conference, took out his frustration on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Aboard Air Force One returning early to Washington, a reporter asked Trump whether he would be making an empathetic call to Walz about political assassination attacks on Minnesota state lawmakers. Trump was incredulous that the question would even be asked. “I’m not calling him,” Trump said. “It would be a waste of time.” Trump went on, unable to contain his deep anger at Walz, who was the 2024 running mate of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who almost derailed Trump’s candidacy. Trump called Walz clueless, claiming that the governor once appointed the accused assassin to a state office. Fact: The appointment, in 2019, was to a low-level citizen advisory board. There is no evidence that Walz ever met the man. Even so, Trump continued his diatribe:
“I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. I’m not calling him. Why would I call him? I could call him and say, ‘Hi, how you doing?’ 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 had bailed out of the G7 conference at Banff early. He was in a funk, miffed that fellow G7 leaders hadn’t accorded him the respect he felt he deserved. Aides covered for Trump’s departure from G7. They said rising Israel-Iraq tensions required his presence back at the White House.
Earlier: $5 million bail in Minnesota assassinations
Earlier: Earlier: Key Minnesota legislator, husband assassinated
Trump’s mixed messages
The day before, Trump issued a perfunctory statement online about the Minnesota situation; Trump said the targeted shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers “will not be tolerated in the United States of America.” He vowed the shooter would be prosecuted fully. The message aides said, was written after Trump had been briefed on the shootings. Some Trump online messages he writes himself. Sometimes aides do the job, usually with more coherency, solid grammar and decorum. Either way, the tone of Trump’s online message didn’t match his spontaneous rambling and disjointed attack on Walz aboard Air Force One.