A fierce row has erupted after Democrats said it was pointless for those grieving to offer thoughts and prayers to the victims of the Minneapolis shooting.
After a transgender gunman murdered two and injured 18 after opening fire on children attending a start-of-term Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday, messages of support poured in from political leaders.
The Democratic mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, delivered a press conference in the aftermath of the attack, where he denounced those offering "thoughts and prayers" to the victims and their families.
Mr Frey said: "Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying.
The Democratic mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, delivered a press conference in the aftermath of the attack
|GETTY
"It was the first week of school. They were in a church.”
While Jen Psaki, Joe Biden's White House Press Secretary, said: “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings.
"Prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back.
"Enough with the thoughts and prayers.”
Jen Psaki said: 'Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings'
|GETTY
Then, Vice President JD Vance - a Catholic - hit back at the former White House official's comments, accusing her of waging a "weird left-wing culture war".
He added: "It is shocking to me that so many left-wing politicians attack the idea of prayer in response to a tragedy.
"Literally no one thinks prayer is a substitute for action.
"We pray because our hearts are broken and we believe that God is listening."
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JD Vance - a Catholic - hit back at the former White House official's comments
| PAThe Minneapolis mayor reinforced his comments made in the press conference and demanded a national ban on assault weapons.
Mr Frey said: “Thoughts and prayers are not going to cut it. It’s on all of us to see this through.
"We need a state-wide and a federal ban on assault weapons.
“If you have school shooting after school shooting and church shooting after church shooting, and it continues to happen, you got a problem.”
President Donald Trump then called on American flags to be flown at half-mast out of respect to the attack's victims and invited the public to “join [him] in praying for everyone involved”.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lambasted her predecessor's comments as “utterly disrespectful”.
Ms Leavitt said: “I think they’re incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to the tens of millions of Americans of faith across this country who believe in the power of prayer, who believe that prayer works."
She also said it was insulting of Ms Psaki to "deride the power of prayer in this country", before inviting the former Biden official and the American people to pray for the Minneapolis victims' families.