Visibly nervous Tim Walz says he 'misspoke' on China visit: 'I'm a knucklehead sometimes'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz drew scrutiny for saying during Tuesday's vice presidential debate on CBS News that he "misspoke" when he claimed that he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.
In a claim he has made as recently as February, Walz has maintained that he was in Hong Kong during the protests from April 15 to June 4, 1989, though Minnesota Public Radio’s APM Reports uncovered earlier this week that Walz remained in Nebraska until August of that year.
CBS News moderator Margaret Brennan pressed Walz, who was facing off against Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, to explain the apparent discrepancy.
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Tim Walz is asked why he lied about his trip to China, gives the most cringe-inducing answer of debate season. Seriously watch this unmitigated disaster: pic.twitter.com/eRJapvdxF2
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 2, 2024
A visibly nervous Walz began his answer by mentioning his upbringing in rural Nebraska and noted how he became a teacher after serving in the National Guard and studying on the GI bill.
During his days as a teacher, Walz said he was given the opportunity to travel to China in 1989, but did not clarify which month he went.
He went on to say he later organized trips to China for young people.
"I came back home and then started a program to take young people there. We would take basketball teams. We would take baseball teams. We would take dancers. And we would go back and forth to China," he said.
"My community knows who I am. They saw where I was at," he continued. "Look, I will be the first to tell you, I have poured my heart into my community. I’ve tried to do the best I can, but I’ve not been perfect."
"And I’m a knucklehead at times, but it’s always been about that," he added. "Those same people elected me to Congress for 12 years."
Walz then attempted to pivot to criticizing Trump, saying he should have gone with him on one of those Chinese trips.
"I guarantee you he wouldn't be praising Xi Jinping about COVID," Walz said. "And I guarantee you he wouldn't start a trade war that he ends up losing."
Brennan followed up on Walz's answer after he neglected to specifically address the discrepancy he was asked about.
"No, just, all I said on this was, is, I got there [to China] that summer and misspoke on this, so I will just — that's what I've said," he said. "So I was in Hong Kong, in China, during the democracy protests, went in, and from that I learned a lot of what needed to be in governance."
Many users on X mocked Walz for his answer.
"Tim Walz is asked why he lied about his trip to China, gives the most cringe-inducing answer of debate season," said radio host Clay Travis, who called the answer an "unmitigated disaster."
"When asked why he said he was in China during the Tiananmen Square massacre when he was not actually there, Walz offers up a word salad worse than Kamala Harris," journalist Katie Pavlich wrote.
"Walz sputtering weirdness about him caught lying about China will leave a mark. he looked like a liar caught in a lie," Fox News host Greg Gutfeld wrote. "That was his Jerry Lundegaard moment."
Walz also faced criticism for other gaffes during his debate performance, such as falsely claiming the First Amendment prohibits "yelling fire in a crowded theater" and claiming he has "become friends with school shooters.
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to [email protected]
