By Jasmine Li

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah) removed three social-media posts mocking and blaming leftists in the wake of attacks in Minnesota that left two people killed and two others injured, after he faced backlash from Senate colleagues.

The targeted shootings on Sunday that killed Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and injured State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife heightened security concerns on Capitol Hill and shook Minnesota lawmakers who knew the victims. Lawmakers largely united to condemn the violence -- as did Lee on his official social-media profiles. But on his personal @basedmikelee X account, Lee posted several messages connecting the shootings to "Marxists" and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.

"This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way," he posted alongside a photo of the suspect. "Nightmare on Waltz street," he wrote in another post, an apparent reference to Walz. "Marxism is a deadly mental illness," he wrote in response to photos of papers reading "No Kings" found in the suspect's car.

Lee has declined to comment on the matter, but he has faced mounting calls to apologize. Lee has an active social-media presence that doesn't shy away from controversy or partisan fights, but the messages about Minnesota were out of bounds, many colleagues said.

Sen. Tina Smith (D., Minn.), who was friends with the slain lawmaker and whose name appeared on target lists connected to the suspect, called Lee's comments "cruel." She pulled Lee aside at Senate votes Monday evening to confront him. Asked if Lee apologized, Smith said "not really."

Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota called Lee's comments insensitive and inappropriate and said the politics of the shooter are irrelevant.

"I just think whenever you rush to a judgment like this, when your political instincts kick in during a tragedy, you probably should realign some priorities," he said. "But I haven't talked to Mike about it."

Right-wing influencers had spread claims that leftists were responsible for the attacks, even before law enforcement shared information about the suspect. The suspect, identified as Vance Luther Boelter, had conservative political views and had voted for President Trump, according to his roommate, David Carlson.

Boelter was reappointed by Walz to the Governor's Workforce Development Board, a bipartisan group of about 60 people. Governors appoint thousands of people to boards and commissions created by the legislature for unpaid roles. Walz's office said it had no familiarity with the suspect.

On the Senate floor Tuesday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said violence against politicians is being stoked by "reckless rhetoric coming from some of the most powerful forces in the country." He said Trump should demand that Lee "take down his inflammatory despicable posts...They're gross, they're disgusting, they're the kind of thing that just riles people up."

Trump condemned the attack in Minnesota, saying "such horrific violence will not be tolerated." But he later told reporters on Air Force One Tuesday that he hasn't spoken to Walz and insulted him. "Look, he appointed this guy," he said, referring to Boelter. "I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. I'm not calling him."

Trump added that Walz "doesn't have a clue" and called him a "mess." "Why waste time?" the president said.

On Monday, Ed Shelleby, Smith's deputy chief of staff, sent Lee's staffers an email condemning the senator's comments.

"It is important for your office to know how much additional pain you've caused on an unspeakably horrific weekend," he wrote. "I am not sure what compelled you or your boss to say any of those things, which, in addition to being unconscionable, also may very well be untrue."

A spokeswoman for Smith said Shelleby sent the email in his personal capacity. She said the email was sent after Smith's conversation with Lee.

The killings came amid a heated environment on Capitol Hill. Last week, Sen. Alex Padilla (D., Calif.) was handcuffed after attempting to disrupt a press conference hosted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles. Partisan tensions reached a boiling point, with a group of House Democrats marching to the offices of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) in protest.

Write to Jasmine Li at jasmine.li@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 17, 2025 15:02 ET (19:02 GMT)

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