14-year-old Parkland survivor calls out Melania Trump for sitting by as Donald Trump Jr. cyberbullied her


Fourteen-year-old Lauren Hogg, who survived the Parkland, Florida, school shooting last week but lost four of her friends, rebuked first lady Melania Trump on Friday after Donald Trump Jr. "liked" tweets pushing conspiracy theories about the students.
Hogg's older brother, 17-year-old David Hogg, was the target of such tweets liked by Donald Trump Jr. earlier this week. The conspiracy theories allege Hogg, who has made powerful statements calling for bipartisan action on gun violence, is "running cover for his dad," who is a former FBI agent.
"Hey @FLOTUS, you say that your mission as first lady is to stop cyber bullying," Lauren Hogg tweeted, "well then, don't you think it would have been smart to have a convo with your stepson, @DonaldJTrumpJr, before he liked a post about a false conspiracy theory, which in turn put a target on my back and created a safe space for people all over the world to call me and my family horrific things that constantly re-victimizes us and our community?"
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Hogg added: "I'm 14, I should never have had to deal with any of this and even though I thought it couldn't get worse, it has because of your family." Jeva Lange
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
‘It’s not normal for parents to raise their children in isolation’
instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Is a market crash around the corner?
Talking Points Observers see echoes of 1929
-
Frankenstein is alive, the Alabama prison system is exposed and Rose Byrne goes full Crazy Mom in October movies
the week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘The Alabama Solution’ and ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictions
Speed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new Mideast
Speed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland