Liberal pediatrician sparks fury with vile tweet at Trump fan

An Iowa pediatricians disturbing response to a Trump fan has sparked outrage across the internet.

Dr. Mayank Sharma, 35, is a pediatric cardiology fellow for the University of Iowa Health Care - a fellowship based at the University of Iowa Stead Family Childrens Hospital.

After a Trump supporter told the cardiologist to stay mad during a political conversation on X, Sharma unleashed a vile response.

Well I hope you lose your kid in a school shooting, he wrote. Already you have nothing to lose, it wont matter to you anyways! Prepare for your kids funeral.

Now the internet, along with an Iowa lawmaker and a state representative, are pushing for the pediatric doctor to be terminated.

Dr. Mayank Sharma, 35, a pediatric cardiology fellow for the University of Iowa Health Care, sparked outrage across the internet after he told a Trump supporter: I hope you lose your kid in a school shooting

Although his response and X account were deleted shortly after, the internet along with an Iowa lawmaker and state representative are calling for his termination

I thought it was disgusting, Carter Nordman, a Republican State Representative, told KCRG. 

Hes an individual who works with children and who is being paid by Iowa taxpayers to work with children and is hoping and making claims that somebody dies in a school shooting based off a political belief, Nordman added in a letter to the university.

I almost think its a borderline threat. 

On Wednesday morning, Sharma engaged in a political conversation under a post on X from a pro-Trump account.

His response, along with his entire X account, were deleted shortly after.

But that didnt stop the internet from expressing their fury.

Wow. This is scary. What would he do if a parent walked in with a kid and they had a Trump shirt on, one viewer wrote.

Another response said: Fire his ass.

He should lose his license and never be allowed around children ever again. Hes a pediatrician, wrote another.

Dr. Sharma previously worked at SUNY Update Medical University in Syracuse, New York, where he completed his residency, CBS 2 Iowa reported.

More recently, he was listed as a pediatric cardiology fellow on the University of Iowa Health Care website - but his name no longer appears on the page.

University of Iowa Health Care said in a statement to The National News Desk that they are aware of the situation and receiving the matter in accordance with the facilitys policies, CBS 2 reported.

The University of Iowa strongly objects to violence, the statement added. 

Nordman wrote a letter to the Barbara Wilson, the University President, on Thursday afternoon, where he called Sharmas comments repulsive, deeply unprofessional, and not representative of the world-class operations at UI Health Care.

I believe the University should terminate his employment to assure Iowans that they can receive proper care from our state hospital, no matter their personal political beliefs or who they voted for, he wrote.

Maintaining his employment sends the wrong message to Iowans, who have resoundingly voted for President Trump three times.

Carter Nordman, an Iowa State Representative, called the cardiologists comment disgusting

Nordman wrote a letter to Barbara Wilson, the University President, on Thursday afternoon, where he called Sharmas comments repulsive, deeply unprofessional, and not representative of the world-class operations at UI Health Care

Nordman told Des Moines Register: I think my letter has made it very clear what I think me and most of my colleagues would like to see

But some have pushed back, arguing that his termination would be a violation of freedom of speech.

One of those people, Graham Piro, is a fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression - a non-profit civil liberties group that advocates for free speech on college campuses, KCRG reported.

It harms the culture of free speech, Piro said. It harms the ability of both staff and faculty members to express themselves freely off the clock.

But according to the universitys policies, they can not control what their employees say on social media while off the clock - unless the speech constitutes obscenity, incitement of illegal acts or violence, specific threats of physical violence or intimidation or violates the universitys policy on harassment. 

The US House of Representatives passed the Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act in 2024, a law that is similar to state free speech protection laws. 

First Amendment protections were also codified on college campuses by Iowa lawmakers - a bill that Nordman himself voted for, KCRG reported.

Sharmas pediatric fellowship is based at the University of Iowa Stead Family Childrens Hospital

His fellowship is active from 2023-26, but the university said that they are aware of the situation and his name is no longer listed on the website 

Yet many people, including Nordman, believe that Sharmas response - wishing harm upon a child - has nothing to do with free speech.

If youre saying something like that on an X post so publicly and so out there, how do you know that the same standard of care can be given to a Trump supporter when they walk in and are seeking your assistance? Nordman told the outlet.

Nordman also put the doctors mental health into question, accusing him of suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, Des Moines Register reported.

I think my letter has made it very clear what I think me and most of my colleagues would like to see, Nordman told the outlet. 

I find it difficult to believe that hes mentally capable of providing health care to children when he is making statements like that.  

University of Iowa officials noted that they are still investigating the matter.