Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) received a rocky reception from attendees at a speech he delivered on Wednesday, with several veterans seen calling the governor a “coward.”
Walz took the stage at Minnesota’s Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday, during which multiple attendees were spotted carrying U.S. flags and signs that read “Take action.” Several of the attendees were heard calling the governor a “traitor,” with one appearing to shout, “You suppressed the Chinese.”
The protesters attending the governor’s speech came after Walz’s veteran status was scrutinized by Vice President JD Vance ahead of the 2024 election. Walz was former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 running mate.
In attempting to quell some of the shouts, Walz asked the protesters to “let me finish,” prompting a few more shouts and someone to yell, “Shut your f***ing mouth!” The governor remarked, “There’s some passion in the building, and that’s a good thing.”
“We’re going to have a debate, but I’ve made it clear I will not compromise with you on the budget,” Walz said about his plans for funding veteran programs. “I will not compromise in the space of veterans’ issues. We will fund them to where they need to be.”
Following the jeers, the governor acknowledged that this is what some people will do, joking that another attendee “wanted to help me brawl” one of the protesters. He also noted that some of the protesters voted “for what’s happening” at the Veterans Affairs Department although they are opposed to it, referring to the cuts that the Department of Government Efficiency is making.
TIM WALZ AND THE BORDER CRISIS THAT WOULD STILL BE A CRISIS
During the vice presidential debate, Walz stated that he “misspoke” about his time in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. He has since lamented not being the “best spokesperson” for the Harris campaign ahead of the election.
Regarding his political future, Walz has said he is considering a third term as governor of Minnesota, ruling out a possibility of seeking retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s (D-MN) seat. One opponent he could face in next year’s gubernatorial election is MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, a supporter of President Donald Trump who teased this possible run for office earlier this month.