Minnesota Governor Tim Walz found himself at the center of controversy following Tuesday evening’s vice presidential debate when he ignored questions from reporters about a bizarre comment he made and a lie that was uncovered shortly before the event. Walz was filmed at a pizzeria after the debate, where he dismissed a reporter asking, “Can you clarify what you meant when you said you befriended school shooters?” A second reporter queried, “Why did you say you were in Hong Kong when reports say you weren’t?” The questions were audible, and it was evident that Governor Walz chose to ignore them.
Another longer video captured earlier in the evening revealed that Walz had responded to a different question about the debate, confirming that he could indeed hear the reporters asking their questions. During the debate itself, Walz made an unusual statement when he claimed to have befriended school shooters. He was prompted to explain his change of position regarding support for a ban on “assault weapons,” which he now supports. In response, Walz referenced meetings with Sandy Hook Elementary School families as the catalyst for his change in stance and stated that the experience made him “become friends with school shooters.
Additionally, Governor Walz has previously claimed to have been in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. However, NPR uncovered evidence showing that he was actually in Nebraska at the time, as reported by Breitbart News. Despite the backlash and scrutiny following these revelations, Governor Walz has yet to address or clarify his statements on either matter.