Trump 'Promoted This Type of Environment,' Democratic Senator Declares Following Minnesota Assassination

In the wake of a politically motivated assassination in Minnesota, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) called out President Donald Trump, saying the current climate of intimidation and violence is the result of rhetoric Trump has amplified.

"I feel like Trump has really popped the lid off the rhetoric and the sense of hate and violence and promoted this type of environment," Merkley said on CNN. "It's profoundly disturbing, for all of us."

Merkley cited a growing number of intimidation tactics used against lawmakers and their families, including so-called "pizza threats"—where unsolicited food deliveries are sent as a way of saying, "we know where you live."

"My heart goes out to the families in Minnesota," Merkley added. "How horrific for the whole country, but particularly we're holding the folks in Minnesota in our hearts."

The comments come amid a broader national reckoning with political violence following the assassination of Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband on Saturday.

The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, allegedly traveled from Hortman's residence to that of state Sen. John Hoffman —also a Democrat — where the senator and his wife sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Hoffman and his wife are recovering from surgery.

Boelter initially escaped but was taken into custody Sunday evening.

Merkley did not refer to specific rhetoric or behaviors connecting Trump to the political violence, but is a vocal critic of Trump and the policies of his administration.

Merkley has publicly condemned Trump's response to protests in LA as "an outrageous abuse of power designed to raise tensions." He also took a strong position against the forceful removal of Sen. Alex Padilla's (D-CA) from a press conference last week, and frequently criticizes Trump's presidency as an "authoritarian takeover."