Revelation: False Statements by Governor Walz about Tiananmen Events

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota has claimed over the years that he was in Hong Kong during the pro-democracy protests in the spring of 1989, which ultimately culminated in the deadly Tiananmen Square massacre. Recently, he reaffirmed this in a podcast in February, mentioning that he was in Hong Kong on June 4 when the Tiananmen massacre occurred, before traveling to mainland China to fulfill his teaching commitments — despite numerous warnings. A decade earlier, during a congressional hearing, Mr. Walz stated that he was in Hong Kong in May 1989. He added that he traveled into mainland China with several individuals as the dramatic events unfolded, vividly recalling the train station in Hong Kong. This narrative has now been proven false. Mr. Walz, who was nominated as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, did indeed teach at a high school in China as part of a program sending American teachers abroad, but he only began his trip in August 1989. Contemporary reports from Nebraska confirm that Mr. Walz was still in his home state in the spring before traveling to China in August. His campaign stated on Tuesday that they do not dispute these reports. Mr. Walz's embellished version of events, which he first recounted as a congressman in 2014 and which has since been propagated by his campaign team and media outlets like the New York Times, positioned him as a witness to one of the most pivotal moments in modern history.