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NEWS: Colin and Sophie Hortman, the children of Mark and Melissa Hortman, released statements after Trump reposted false claims about their parents’ deaths. Sophie Hortman urged Trump to remove the post, saying, “I ask President Trump to please consider the pain and sadness we have faced.”
Screenshot of a Facebook post written by Colin Hortman. The post begins by stating that his father and mother, Mark Hortman and Melissa Hortman, along with their dog Gilbert, were killed by a man influenced by conspiracy theories and fake news, emphasizing that words matter and that sharing misinformation is dangerous. Colin describes part of his grief process as understanding the last conversation he had with his mother, noting that she loved her job and was respected for her work. He recounts calling her after a legislative session and asking why she voted for a bill referenced in a video shared by President Trump, explaining that she became emotional because the vote had nothing to do with fraud and was instead cast to prevent a government shutdown. He explains that his mother had witnessed the harm caused by shutdowns, including people losing health care, jobs, and even their lives, and that the vote put her in an extremely difficult position that went against her conscience. Colin writes that seeing her struggle makes conspiracy theories about her vote even more painful. He asks President Trump to remove the video and apologize for spreading misinformation and for using his mother’s words in a way that dishonors her memory. The post includes a statement from his sister, Sophia Hortman, who is not on social media, calling the video shared on Truth Social a painful and false twisting of their mother’s final vote. Sophia explains that the vote was incredibly difficult, not made with malice, and was intended to prevent a government shutdown because their mother believed the state helps and protects Minnesotans. The statement calls for a society that does not harbor hatred or violence toward political opponents and says the video fuels political division. It concludes by saying the reposted video is another burden on the family as they grieve the loss of their parents and dog, and asks President Trump to consider their pain and take down the post. Photo of Melissa Hortman
January 5, 2026 at 1:34 AM