Jeff Walz, the brother of Democratic vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has criticized his sibling, claiming he is not suited for a position of power. In March 2023, Jeff Walz responded to a Facebook comment suggesting he speak with his brother to “help MAGA.”
“We’ve just become a third-world banana republic,” Jeff said at the time, as reported by Breitbart News.
In response to his post, a commenter urged Jeff to talk with his brother. Jeff then shared that it had been some time since he last spoke with Tim.
“Haven’t spoken to him in 8 years,” he said.
“I’m opposed to all his ideology. My family wasn’t given any notice [that] he was selected and denied security the days after,” he added.
Another person commented, telling Jeff to “Help MAGA” and endorse former President Donald Trump.
“Help save this country,” the user wrote.
“I’ve thought hard about doing something like that,” Jeff replied.
“I’m torn between that and just keeping my family out of it. The stories I could tell. Not the type of character you want making decisions about your future.”
As noted by Breitbart News, Tim Walz has come under increasing criticism following accusations of stolen valor for listing a higher army rank on his biography than the one he held upon retirement. Although Walz retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard as a sergeant, his biography inaccurately states that he retired as a command sergeant major.
“Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and retired at the rank of master sergeant, or an E-8. However, on his official website bio, he lists a higher rank that he served at for a short period that ultimately was rescinded as he did not complete all the requirements to serve at that rank. However, his bio implies that he retired at the rank of command sergeant major, or an E-9,” Breitbart wrote.
Soon after selecting Walz as her running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign removed references that described him as a “retired command sergeant major.” Walz is also under scrutiny for falsely claiming he carried weapons of war during combat.
“I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt,” Walz said in a 2018 video posted by Harris’s campaign. “I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war.”
Gov. @Tim_Walz: I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt. I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war,… pic.twitter.com/3IVaXi2RP2
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 6, 2024
In an interview with CNN anchor Dana Bash, Walz was asked to clarify his inaccurate claim about carrying weapons of war during combat.
“I said, we were talking about in this case, it was after a school shooting, the ideas of carrying these weapons of war. And my wife, the English teacher, told me my grammar’s not always correct. But again, if it’s not this it’s an attack on my children for showing love for me, or it’s an attack on my dog,” he replied.
“I’m not going to do that, and the one thing I’ll never do is I’ll never demean another member’s service in any way. I have never and I never will,” Walz continued.
