Donald Trump amplified a false 2025 murder conspiracy linking Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to a lawmaker’s killing, drawing widespread criticism.

On January 4, 2026, Donald Trump provoked criticism by posting on Truth Social a false conspiracy theory that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was responsible for the 2025 murders of state Representative Melissa Hortman and her spouse. The claim falsely connected the killings to purported immigration-related corruption; it is unsupported by evidence and goes against Justice Department findings. The only person associated with the attack, which also targeted two other lawmakers, is the shooter, Vance Boelter, who was charged with federal offenses. Trump's post was denounced by officials and political figures as dangerous misinformation, drawing attention to the propagation of unfounded allegations during the 2026 presidential campaign.