Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sharply criticized the Trump administration and the broader MAGA movement in an op-ed published Friday in The Atlantic, condemning recent fatal encounters between Minnesotans and federal law enforcement officers and accusing the movement of embracing cruelty as a core principle.
Clinton described the killings as evidence of what she called a moral crisis tied to President Donald Trump’s political movement. Writing in response to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents last Saturday, just days after another Minnesotan, Renee Good, was also shot, Clinton argued that the incidents revealed a deeper problem within Trump’s approach to governance and law enforcement.
“This crisis in Minneapolis reveals a deep moral rot at the heart of Trump’s movement,” Clinton wrote. She echoed a phrase popularized during Trump’s first term, arguing that cruelty is not an unintended consequence but a defining feature of the movement. “The savagery is a feature, not a bug,” she wrote.
Clinton also took aim at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, criticizing the agency’s handling of children during enforcement actions. She pointed to the detention of a five-year-old child in Minnesota as a flashpoint that intensified anger toward federal authorities and raised broader concerns about compassion and restraint.
“Whatever you think about immigration policy,” Clinton wrote, “how can a person of conscience justify the lack of compassion and empathy for the victims in Minnesota, and for the families torn apart or hiding in fear, for the children separated from their parents or afraid to go to school?”
Her op-ed comes as the Trump administration has slightly shifted its public tone following bipartisan criticism of the Minnesota incidents. Trump said earlier this week that he held what he described as a “very good call” with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and announced that border czar Tom Homan would take over leadership of the Minneapolis operation, replacing Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino.
“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength.”
Despite that outreach, Clinton argued that the broader MAGA movement remains rooted in values she says contradict core Christian teachings. While acknowledging MAGA’s close ties to the Christian right, she claimed its actions run counter to principles such as compassion and “love thy neighbor.” According to Clinton, the Minnesota killings and other enforcement actions nationwide reflect a deliberate strategy to use fear through harsh treatment.
“That compassion is weak and cruelty is strong has become an article of MAGA faith,” Clinton wrote, asserting that Trump and his allies believe increasingly severe measures are more effective at spreading fear. She described what she called a “glorification of cruelty” as a reflection of Trump’s personal character and worldview.
Clinton also warned about what she described as the rise of Christian nationalism, an ideology she said seeks to merge church and state. She cited the “Appeal to Heaven” flag — displayed in Speaker Mike Johnson’s window and carried by rioters on Jan. 6, 2021 — as a symbol she believes shows the ideology gaining traction in Washington.
She further criticized social media platforms such as TikTok and X, arguing they amplify extremism and emotional reactions while undermining thoughtful debate and serious journalism.
Clinton closed her essay by urging Americans to follow the example of faith leaders, including more than 100 clergy members arrested while protesting deportation flights at the Minneapolis airport. She also pointed to dozens of liberal clergy preparing to run for office in 2026 as a hopeful sign.
“To rekindle our light, we must reject cruelty and corruption,” Clinton wrote. “To be strong, we need more empathy, not less.”
