On August 31, 2025, comedian Rosie O’Donnell issued a public apology on TikTok for falsely claiming that the transgender shooter who killed two children at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis was a “Republican MAGA person” and “white supremacist.” The attack on August 27 left 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski dead and 18 others injured, including 15 children. O’Donnell, who moved to Ireland after Donald Trump’s 2024 reelection, admitted she “messed up” by assuming the shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, fit a “standard MO” of NRA-supporting gun enthusiasts without researching the facts.
Investigators revealed Westman, who died by suicide at the scene, expressed anti-Catholic and antisemitic views, scrawling “Kill Donald Trump” and “Free Palestine” on a firearm magazine. The FBI labeled the attack domestic terrorism driven by a “hate-filled ideology.” O’Donnell’s initial claims, made in a now-deleted video, drew sharp criticism for linking the tragedy to Trump supporters. In her apology, she acknowledged failing to do “due diligence” and said, “When you mess up, you fess up.” Some praised her accountability, while others called the apology insincere, accusing her of trying to “save face.”
The incident reignites debates over political rhetoric and misinformation, especially as Trump’s administration and RFK Jr. plan to investigate mass shooting motives. O’Donnell’s retraction underscores the need for caution in emotionally charged narratives.
