A heart-wrenching interview with Laura Calderwood, the mother of Mollie Tibbetts, shines a light on the emotional fallout from her daughter’s tragic murder. Tibbetts, a University of Iowa sophomore, was murdered by an undocumented immigrant in 2018. In a conversation with Asawin Suebsaeng for Rolling Stone, Calderwood expressed her deep anguish over Donald Trump’s exploitation of her daughter’s death for political gain.
Calderwood recalled the painful moment when she returned home from Mollie’s funeral, only to find Trump at a rally on the same day, using her daughter’s murder as a rallying cry for his immigration agenda. “You have got to be kidding me,” she reflected. “You didn’t even mention her name. Really? That girl? Everyone else in the country knew her name.”
During his speech, Trump referred to Mollie as “that incredible, beautiful, young woman,” but failed to acknowledge her by name, a slight that devastated Calderwood. She expressed her shock that the former president did not take the time to learn her daughter’s name, saying, “I would have thought he would’ve had handlers who said, ‘This is the name of the girl.’” This lack of respect was compounded by the realization that Trump’s focus was on advancing his agenda rather than honoring her daughter’s memory.
Calderwood’s painful experience highlights a broader issue. She noted that Trump has repeatedly used her daughter’s tragic story in his speeches, making it clear that he is more interested in political leverage than genuine compassion. When asked what she would say to Trump as he embarks on his third campaign for the presidency, she asked, “Where is your compassion? Where’s your humanity?”
The grieving mother emphasized the importance of unity and compassion in politics, contrasting the divisiveness she associates with Trump’s rhetoric. “This divisiveness and this hatred is something that Mollie would not have stood for,” she declared. Although she identifies as not being anti-Republican, Calderwood is deeply troubled by the changes she has seen in the party under Trump’s influence.
Calderwood also reflected on the challenges of finding common ground in today’s political landscape. “I don’t know how we’re going to come together. I really don’t. And that’s a scary thought,” she admitted. Her poignant words serve as a reminder of the human cost of political agendas and the need for compassion and understanding in these divisive times.
