Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad sparked international outrage by expressing his regret that President Donald Trump was not assassinated Saturday night and reiterated his offer of free beer the day Trump dies.
Kirk Bangstad, the owner of Minocqua Brewing Company and founder of a liberal Super PAC, ignited a firestorm of national outrage after a Facebook post in which he expressed regret that President Donald Trump was not assassinated at the White House Correspondents Dinner Saturday night.
“Well, we almost got #freebeerday,” Bangstad posted. “Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle. We’ll never know. Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens.”
Several months ago, Bangstad offered free beer at his brewery’s taproom when Trump passes away, which also sparked national outrage. Saturday night’s post, which circulated rapidly on social media and drew coverage from national outlets, followed the arrest of a would-be Trump assassin who was taken into custody after storming into the White House Correspondents Dinner, where Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and members of the President’s Cabinet had gathered.
Bangstad has deep ties to Wisconsin Democrats. Rebecca Cooke, a Democratic congressional candidate in the 3rd District who presents herself as an everyday waitress, previously worked as a political operative and fundraiser for Bangstad’s efforts. State Rep. Francesca Hong, a progressive from Madison and potential gubernatorial contender, has appeared on Bangstad’s “Up North Podcast.”
Neither has yet commented on Bangstad’s post, but the Democratic Party of Wisconsin issued a statement in which it called his comments “unacceptable” but also used the occasion to blast Republicans.
“This rhetoric is completely unacceptable and should be retracted immediately,” said party spokesman Phil Shulman. “We’re not afraid to call out this sort of inappropriate behavior no matter where it comes from — our GOP colleagues should learn to do the same.”
Bangstad bought the Minocqua Brewing Company in 2016 and turned it into a vehicle for left-wing activism. He is also well-known for unhinged rants on social media, posting his support for Charlie Kirk’s assassination last September and selling voodoo dolls of Trump and members of his Administration online.
He has not apologized for his latest outburst but has responded to several Facebook comments critical of his post by mocking those who are upset by them.
