After two children were killed and seventeen others, mostly children, were wounded by transgender shooter Robin Westman, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey held a press conference where he vilified “thoughts and prayers,” exposing his anti-Christian stance. His words sparked a backlash, as prominent voices from Bishop Robert Barron and Bishop Leah Daughtry to Vice President J.D. Vance spoke out in defense of the faith.
Frey’s vile statement was even amplified by former Vice President Kamala Harris, who has made her opinion of Christianity clear in the past when she mocked believers, saying, “If you are shouting ‘Jesus is Lord,’ you are at the wrong rally.” After the Minneapolis shooting, Harris said she had spoken with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to “share Doug and my grief for the families impacted and our gratitude for the first responders and law enforcement on the scene.” She then quoted Mayor Frey directly: “Mayor Jacob Frey said it clearly: ‘Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying.’”
As abhorrent as Frey’s “thoughts and prayers” remark was, he went on to make another comment that was equally anti-Christian but received less attention. “I have heard about a whole lot of hate that’s being directed at our trans community,” Frey said. “Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community or any other community out there has lost their sense of common humanity.”
He insisted that he hated to see any community attacked. This was puzzling, since it was not the transgender community that was attacked but the Catholic community, and nineteen people, mostly children, paid the price. Frey seemed more concerned about the possibility of a hateful word directed at transgender people after the fact than he was about the murder of Christians.
By contrast, President Trump responded with both prayers and decisive action for the Catholic victims. On Truth Social he wrote: “I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene… Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” He also ordered flags lowered to half-staff as a mark of respect for the victims of the “senseless acts of violence perpetrated on August 27, 2025,” and spoke with Governor Tim Walz after the shooting.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the Bureau was investigating the attack as both domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. This marks a sharp departure from the Biden administration, which came under fire after the FBI’s Richmond Field Office memo labeled “radical-traditionalist Catholics” as potential domestic terrorists and even proposed infiltrating Catholic churches. Under Biden and previous administrations, hate crimes against Christians were rarely classified or prosecuted as hate crimes.
In February 2025, Trump issued Executive Order 14202, “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.” The order reaffirmed that federal hate-crime laws prohibit offenses motivated by religious animus and directed federal agencies to enforce those protections for Christians. It also established a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in the federal government, led by Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
At its first meeting, Bondi stressed that the administration would enforce the law and protect religious freedoms, criticizing the previous administration for “largely ignoring” more than 100 attacks on Catholic churches and pro-life centers.
The key change was not the creation of new hate-crime laws but the directive to enforce existing ones when Christians are targeted.
Unlike Frey, President Trump and the FBI recognized that the Catholic community—not the transgender community, were the victims of this attack. Political and religious leaders also rallied in support of the Catholic victims, condemning Frey’s misplaced concern for the transgender community.
Charlie Kirk was blunt in his response: “No, Mr. Mayor. Anybody who is more concerned about the ‘trans community’ after this tragedy than the Catholic community that just lost two little kids to this monster has lost their sense of common humanity.”
Commentator David Marcus observed: “Minneapolis Mayor Frey says he is deeply concerned that the trans community will be vilified after this shooting. What he really means is that he, and Democrats, don’t want it mentioned.”
Vice President J.D. Vance also implicitly criticized this approach, defending prayer and asking: “Why do you feel the need to attack other people for praying when kids were just killed praying?”
Online commentators echoed similar outrage. Journalist Nick Sortor wrote on X: “I have heard about a whole lot of HATE being directed to our trans community.” HOW ABOUT THE HATE DIRECTED TOWARD CHRISTIAN KIDS, @MayorFrey?! Others blasted Frey for his dismissiveness: “If your first move after kids are murdered is to defend the ideology of the killer, you’re unfit to lead.” Another post read: “Just incredible how dismissive he is of the Catholics who died yesterday. When it’s a right-wing white man, all Republicans are at fault.”
Mary Katharine Ham noted the broader pattern of media and political responses, comparing it to the Tennessee “Three,” who disrupted the state capitol with bullhorns and chants that framed the shooter as a victim, and became the stars of that story.
Conservative media also criticized Frey’s misplaced concern. The Daily Caller ran the headline: “Jacob Frey Chews Up Entire Minute Virtue Signaling To Trans Community Following Catholic School Shooting.” The Daily Wire likewise noted: “While the city of Minneapolis reels in the aftermath of the tragic Catholic school shooting on Wednesday morning—during which two children were killed and nearly 20 were wounded—Mayor Jacob Frey took a moment to remind people that they should be careful not to attack the ‘trans community.’”
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