'Move forward...', Donald Trump makes insensitive remark on deadly Iowa school shooting

Terming the Iowa mass shooting as "terrible" and "horrible", ex-US President Donald Trump urged Iowa residents to get over it and move forward.

Published on: Jan 6, 2024, 19:04:11 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

After Iowa school shooting tragedy, former US President Donald Trump extended his condolences to kin of the victims, stressing that "we are with you as much as anybody can be". Terming the incident "terrible" and "horrible", Trump surprisingly urged the Iowa residents to get over it and move forward.

“I want to send our support and our deepest sympathies to the victims and families touched by the terrible school shooting yesterday in Perry, Iowa,” Trump said during a campaign rally at Sioux Center, Iowa.

“It’s just horrible, so surprising to see it here. But have to get over it, we have to move forward,” he added.

The mass shooting occurred on Thursday, January 4, few days before the January 15 Iowa caucuses, claiming the life of a sixth grade student. As many as seven people, including students and school staff members, sustained injuries in the incident, authorities said in a statement.

The suspected shooter, identified as 17-year-old student Dylan Butler, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.

Also Read: Who was Iowa school shooter Dylan Butler? Family describes gunman as ‘kindest person’ who was bullied in school

Trump's ‘move forward’ remark draws criticism

Meanwhile, social media users said that Trump was “incredibly insensitive” to ask Iowa residents to “move forward”. One of the X users said, “Trump doesn’t care about parents of murdered children because Trump doesn’t consider them real people.”

Iowa shooting tragedy: Nikki Haley calls for mental health reform

Trump's GOP rivals campaigning in the state also weighed in on the matter Thursday, with many extending their condolences and calling for mental health reform.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called for mental health reform following the deadly school shooting in Perry, Iowa. “We have to deal with the cancer that is mental health. We have to,” she said.

Also Read: Vivek Ramaswamy torches ‘knee-jerk’ gun control policy after Iowa school shooting: ‘Stop the guns, that’s the problem’

After the news of shooting broke out, GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy posted a call for prayers on X (formerly Twitter). He also said that guns were not the problem, but the symptom of a deeper crisis in the society.

Meanwhile in an interview, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suggested that shooting are "more of a local and state issue."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.