Tim Walz's daughter Hope's old posts spark conservative backlash amid VP candidacy

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Controversial social media posts from Hope Walz, the daughter of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have resurfaced, sparking a renewed debate. These posts, originally published during the height of the George Floyd protests in May 2020, have come under scrutiny again as Tim Walz is named Kamala Harris' vice presidential pick.

The posts, which have since been deleted, apparently revealed details about National Guard troop movements and have become a focal point for conservative critics.

Hope Walz faces backlash for tweets during Minneapolis protests

In May 2020, after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, widespread protests broke out in the city. During the unrest, Hope Walz, then 19, posted several tweets that faced significant backlash from conservatives.

On May 30, 2020, she shared and replied to a tweet advising protesters to "GET OUT NOW" because the National Guard and SWAT teams were approaching. In her response, she reassured protesters that the National Guard "WILL NOT be present tonight."

Hope's post read, "There is a lot of misinformation that is further spreading fear and chaos at the scene of the protests..the guard can not be sent in within minutes. it takes time for them to deploy because they come from all over the state. to be clear, the National Guard will not be present tonight. just because someone asked for something doesn't mean it's happening right away or even happening at all. I don't know about swat but what I do know is the guard will not be present arresting people tonight."

These posts quickly became a point of contention. Fox News host Pete Hegseth tweeted, "Why is the daughter of Minnesota's Governor (@GovTimWalz) sharing information about National Guard movements & capabilities to Minneapolis 'protesters?'"

Minnesota conservative media personality David Strom also chimed in, posting, "Hope Walz has apparently left Twitter. Here is her tweet giving intel to the rioters."

For Republicans, the handling of the 2020 protests and riots in Minneapolis is a major talking point. Critics argue that Governor Walz was slow to deploy the National Guard, contributing to the escalation of violence.

According to CNN, Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard on May 28, 2020, after requests from officials in Minneapolis and St Paul. On May 30, he ordered a full mobilization, the first in Minnesota's 164-year history.

At a recent news conference, Walz defended his actions, saying, "I simply believe that we try to do the best we can."

It's worth noting that Walz has a military background as a 24-year Army National Guard veteran. His long service makes him the longest-serving military veteran to be a major-party vice presidential nominee.

Hope Walz’s 2020 tweets and family controversy resurface

As Governor Tim Walz’s vice presidential candidacy was confirmed, Hope Walz’s 2020 tweets resurfaced. Minnesota Republican strategist Dustin Grage shared a video featuring Gwen Walz, Tim Walz’s wife, addressing the Minneapolis riots.

Grage wrote, "Here is a bizarre clip from an interview with Gwen Walz [wife of Tim Walz] stating that she left her windows open during the Minneapolis Riots so she could smell the burning tires. Her daughter also coordinated with rioters to let them know that the National Guard would not be activated one night."

This video garnered significant attention, being viewed nearly 640,000 times.

Conservative commentator and former Newsmax host John Cardillo also highlighted Hope Walz's role, writing, "This is a really important point. Walz's daughter is a leftist activist who was instrumental in sparking the Minneapolis riots. She used intel gleaned from her dad's office to let rioters know the National Guard would not be deployed. The end result was devastation."

Further accusations followed from prominent conservative voices. The @_johnnymaga account posted, "On May 28, 2020, Tim Walz's daughter tweeted out that the Minnesota National Guard would NOT be deployed to Minneapolis. Later that night, Minneapolis police's 3rd precinct was burned to the ground. This is beyond negligence. This is criminal."

Paul A Szypula, a MAGA influencer, added, "Tim Walz's wife Gwen grotesquely says during the 2020 BLM riots she kept windows open to smell burning tires and enjoy the moment. Also, her daughter Hope leaked National Guard plans to rioters to help them avoid arrest. The Walz family is criminal."

Hope Walz's background

Hope Walz registered to vote in 2019 and holds a fishing license. Governor Walz shared an Instagram post in 2023 showing the two fly fishing, describing it as their "new favorite way" to spend time together. Hope attended the University of Minnesota.

She has also faced minor legal issues. In 2017 and 2019, she was convicted of petty misdemeanors for speeding, resulting in fines of $225 and $198, respectively. On one occasion, she was cited for driving 81 mph in a 55 mph zone and told the officer she mistakenly believed the speed limit was 70 mph.

Hope Walz's social media activity has previously stirred controversy. In August 2020, she reportedly threatened to confront then-Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, a Republican, tweeting, "I don't know who will understand this but I guess that's the point ... Paul Gazelka it's on-site and I mean it."

"On-site" is a term used to describe an immediate physical altercation upon encountering someone. In response to criticism, Hope reportedly stated that Gazelka is a "grown [expletive] man" while she's a "5'4 19-year-old girl," Newsweek reported.

Gazelka, in an interview with NPR, discussed his interactions with Governor Walz, mentioning their ability to find compromises. "We found compromises that worked well for the state of Minnesota. He did eventually agree to the tax cuts that I was pushing, and I agreed to fund education at levels higher than I thought we should," he said.

However, he criticized Walz's delayed response to the Floyd riots, "I felt like he froze. And that delayed getting the National Guard out three days beyond what [Democratic] Mayor [Jacob] Frey had requested. And that's just unacceptable to not be able to handle the crisis in a way that I think it should have been handled."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.