Tim Walz's sister dismisses viral photo of extended family supporting Trump, says 'we didn't know them'

WASHINGTON, DC: The family of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has found themselves thrust into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

A viral photo featuring extended members of the Walz family donning "Nebraska Walz's for Trump" T-shirts has raised eyebrows, especially since Tim Walz is now the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee for the November election.

The viral photo and Walz family's political divide

The photo in question was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Charles Herbster — a former gubernatorial candidate from Nebraska — on Wednesday, September 4. The image shows eight people, all descended from Francis Walz, the brother of Tim Walz's grandfather.

According to Herbster’s spokesperson Rod Edwards, "They're all Walzes and spouses."

But here’s where it gets interesting. Sandy Dietrich, Tim Walz's sister, has claimed that these folks aren't exactly close family.

"We weren't close with them. We didn't know them," Dietrich told the Associated Press, trying to distance herself and her immediate family from the Trump-supporting faction of their extended kin.

She said that she and her close relatives are fully backing her brother and Kamala Harris in their bid for the White House. "I know who I'm voting for. That's all I can control," Dietrich said.

The Walz family hails from the deep red state of Nebraska, where Tim was born and raised. Despite their roots, Tim has pursued a career that led him to become a popular Democratic figure.

Dietrich — who still lives in Nebraska alongside their mother — insisted that the people in the photo are from a different branch of the family tree.

In a statement to the Associated Press, the group seen in the viral photo confirmed that it was authentic. "We had T-shirts made to show support for President Trump and JD Vance and took a group picture. That photo was shared with friends, and when we were asked for permission to post the picture, we agreed," the family said. 

"The picture is real. The shirts are real. We are the Nebraska Walz family and we are related to Gov. Tim Walz, our grandfathers were brothers. The message on the shirts speaks for itself, 'Nebraska Walzs for Trump,'" the statement added, as quoted by Newsweek.

The drama continues as Jeff Walz weighs in

As if the photo wasn't enough to spark controversy, Tim Walz's older brother Jeff Walz added fuel to the fire. Jeff — who resides in Florida and is a registered Republican — has previously taken to social media to speak out against his brother's political views.

In a Facebook post, Jeff confessed that he was "100% opposed" to his brother's ideology and admitted that he had seriously considered endorsing Trump in the 2024 race. Responding to a comment urging him to publicly support Trump, Jeff wrote, "I’ve thought long and hard about doing something like that! I’m torn between that and just keeping my family out of it."

He added, "The stories I could tell. Not the type of character you want making decisions about your future."

However, Jeff later expressed some regret over airing his family's dirty laundry on social media. He told NewsNation that Facebook "wasn't the right platform" for such discussions.

"It wasn't my intent, it wasn't our intent as a family, to put something out there to influence the general public," he explained. "But I will say, I don't agree with his policies."

While the Walz brothers might be at odds, their mother Darlene Walz has decided to stay out of the fray. "I want to keep peace with all of them," she said in a statement to the Daily Beast. "I think the best thing maybe, for me, is to just stay out of it," she added.