Utah Senator Mike Lee found himself at the center of a heated controversy after posting comments on social media that linked last weekend's tragic shootings in Minnesota with "Marxists" and the state's Democratic governor, Tim Walz. The posts, which appeared on Lee's personal X account, @BasedMikeLee, were deleted following backlash from both sides of the political aisle.

The criticism was spearheaded by North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, a fellow Republican, who expressed his disapproval to reporters on Tuesday. Cramer described Lee's actions as "insensitive, to say the least, inappropriate, for sure" and challenged the veracity of the claims, stating, "I don't know if this person was a Marxist or not. I have no sense. Nor does it matter, by the way, nor does it matter. What happened is absolutely, positively unacceptable in any political environment, and it's tragic."

Cramer further suggested that Lee should have delayed his response, criticizing the rush to politicize the tragedy. "Whenever you rush to a judgment like this, when your political instincts kick in during a tragedy, you probably should realign some priorities," he added.

Further intensifying the situation, Democratic Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, a friend of the slain state Rep. Melissa Hortman, confronted Senator Lee on the Senate floor, decrying his remarks as inappropriate.

Lee's controversial posts included a photograph of the suspect, Vance Boelter, with captions that politicized the incident. One post read, “This is what happens ... When Marxists don’t get their way." Another was captioned, “Nightmare on Waltz Street,” a play on Governor Walz's name.

Despite removing the contentious posts, Lee did engage with his followers about the backlash. In response to a comment about Democrats' alleged intolerance for sarcastic posts, Lee replied, "Ah yes, I must seek their permission." This reply was still visible on his account as of Tuesday afternoon.

A spokesperson for Senator Lee did not immediately respond to inquiries about the reason behind the deletion of the posts.

The incident has sparked a broader discussion about the appropriate use of social media by public officials, particularly in the immediate aftermath of tragedies, reflecting ongoing tensions within the political landscape over how to address and communicate about sensitive and potentially polarizing issues.