Tim Walz once claimed to have been in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, witnessing history firsthand. But records tell a different story: while protests raged in China, Walz was in Nebraska. Now, as his falsehoods pile up—from his military record to a DUI arrest—his credibility faces scrutiny, just in time for a high-stakes vice presidential debate.
During a 2014 congressional hearing, then-Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) made a bold and seemingly heartfelt claim: he had been in Hong Kong during the historic 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. Walz detailed how he was just about to begin teaching in China when the tragic events unfolded, recounting his experience with vivid emotion. He spoke of how others questioned his decision to continue with his plans despite the massacre, but he felt diplomacy was needed “on many levels” and being in a Chinese high school at that moment was critical.
There’s just one problem: Walz wasn’t in Hong Kong during the massacre. He was in Nebraska.
According to contemporaneous reports from the time, Walz was touring a National Guard storeroom in Alliance, Nebraska, in May of 1989. In fact, it appears Walz didn’t leave the United States until August, long after the student-led protests were violently suppressed in Tiananmen Square. Despite this, Walz has clung to his embellished version of events, painting himself as a witness to history.
The Washington Free Beacon brought attention to the lie, pointing out that even NPR, which uncovered the falsehood, buried the revelation deep within its reporting. Meanwhile, other media outlets, including the New York Times, have repeated Walz’s version of events without checking the facts, allowing the fabricated story to take on a life of its own.
For many, this isn’t just an innocent slip of memory. Walz’s lie isn’t like misremembering a minor detail; it’s akin to someone falsely claiming they were in New York City on September 11, 2001. The events of Tiananmen Square, much like 9/11, left an indelible mark on the world, and anyone who was genuinely present during such a pivotal moment wouldn’t forget the details.
Walz’s exaggerations don’t stop with his Tiananmen Square story. He has previously claimed to have carried weapons during wartime, despite never having seen combat as a member of the Minnesota National Guard. He also downplayed a 1995 DUI arrest, blaming it on a misunderstanding caused by his deafness, though a blood test showed his blood alcohol level was well over the legal limit. He even misrepresented his rank upon retiring from the National Guard, inflating his credentials.
With the vice presidential debate looming, where Walz will stand alongside Republican nominee JD Vance, these fabrications are likely to come under the microscope. Vance, known for his sharp rhetoric, will have plenty of material to work with when confronting Walz. The debate promises to be a fiery clash between a man with a questionable relationship with the truth and a challenger ready to capitalize on those weaknesses.
The question remains: How long can Walz continue to embellish his record before it catches up with him? Tonight’s debate might provide the answer.
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