If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably seen some wild headlines about Minnesota lawmakers and Donald Trump. Some of the posts are so aggressive they make your head spin. You might have seen claims that Minnesota lawmakers shot Trump or were somehow behind the attempts on his life.
Honestly? It's a mess of misinformation.
We need to get the facts straight because the reality is actually more tragic and complicated than a catchy conspiracy theory. There wasn't a "hit squad" of legislators. Instead, there was a horrific string of actual assassinations—but the victims were the lawmakers themselves.
The Viral Misinformation vs. Reality
Let’s be blunt: No Minnesota lawmaker shot Donald Trump.
The "Minnesota lawmakers shot Trump" narrative seems to be a garbled version of two very different, very real events that happened over the last couple of years. First, you have the actual assassination attempts against Donald Trump in 2024 during his campaign. Second, and this is where people get confused, there was a targeted "night of terror" in June 2025 where Minnesota's own political leaders were the ones in the crosshairs.
In January 2026, the rhetoric reached a boiling point. President Trump shared a video on Truth Social suggesting that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was somehow connected to the killing of a high-ranking state official. This set off a firestorm.
What actually happened in June 2025?
On June 14, 2025, a man named Vance Boelter went on a targeted shooting spree. He didn't go after Trump; he went after Democrats in Minnesota.
- Melissa Hortman: The former Speaker of the Minnesota House was shot and killed in her home. Her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert, were also murdered.
- John Hoffman: A State Senator who was shot and seriously injured in his home the same night. He survived, but the trauma to the state was permanent.
Boelter was eventually caught after a massive 48-hour manhunt. He was a 57-year-old man who, according to federal prosecutors, was radicalized by conspiracy theories. He wasn't a lawmaker—he was a guy who targeted them.
Why Do People Think Lawmakers Were Involved?
It basically comes down to a "reverse" conspiracy theory.
Because the shooter, Boelter, allegedly wrote a "delusional" letter claiming he was acting on orders (a claim the U.S. Attorney's office called a total fabrication designed to hide his own crimes), some internet circles flipped the script. They started claiming the violence was a "false flag" or that the lawmakers were somehow the aggressors.
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Then you have the 2024 attempts on Trump. When those happened, Minnesota lawmakers like Melissa Hortman actually released statements condemning the violence. Hortman said at the time that "political violence is unacceptable and has no place in our country."
It is a dark irony that she would be killed by that very same brand of violence less than a year later.
The 2026 "Fraud" Context
Adding fuel to the fire is a massive federal investigation into $9 billion in alleged fraud in Minnesota social service programs. This has turned the state into a political punching bag. When you mix "billions in stolen money" with "dead lawmakers" and "Trump social media posts," you get a perfect storm for fake news.
The Trump administration has been locked in a bitter feud with Governor Walz over how to handle these investigations. Trump has called state officials "crooked," while Walz has called Trump's social media activity "dangerous and depraved."
Basically, the state is exhausted.
The Human Cost Most People Miss
Behind the "Minnesota lawmakers shot Trump" keywords and the political bickering, there are families.
Sophie and Colin Hortman, the children of the murdered Speaker, recently went public to beg for the conspiracy theories to stop. They’ve had to grieve their parents while watching the "leader of the free world" share videos that suggest their mother’s death was part of some deep-state plot involving her own friends.
That's heavy. It's not just "content" or "news"—it’s a family's reality.
The Standoff with Federal Agencies
Right now, in early 2026, the tension is higher than ever because the FBI has essentially cut Minnesota state police out of several high-profile investigations, including a recent shooting involving an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
When federal and state authorities stop talking to each other, the vacuum gets filled by people on X (formerly Twitter) and Truth Social making things up. That is exactly how the idea that Minnesota lawmakers shot Trump gains traction. If people don't trust the official report, they’ll believe the most dramatic story they hear.
How to Spot the Fakes
If you see a post claiming a specific politician was involved in a shooting, check a few things before hitting share:
- Look for a name: Does the post name the "lawmaker"? If it just says "Minnesota lawmakers," it’s probably bait.
- Check the date: A lot of these posts recycle footage from the June 2025 Boelter manhunt and try to claim it's happening "right now."
- Verify the source: Is it a news organization with a physical address and a history, or is it a "PatriotNews1776" account created three weeks ago?
The political climate in Minnesota is undeniably tense. Between the 2025 assassinations of the Hortmans and the ongoing federal fraud raids, there is plenty of real drama to go around. We don't need to invent more.
Moving forward, the best thing you can do is stick to the verified court documents from the Vance Boelter trial and official statements from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Those are the facts. Everything else is just noise designed to keep you clicking.
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Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Follow the Vance Boelter federal trial updates for the most accurate account of the June 2025 attacks.
- Monitor the Hennepin County Attorney’s office for statements on the jurisdictional battle between the FBI and state police.
- Check non-partisan trackers like the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library to see actual voting records if a post claims a "bill" caused the violence.