Walz admits he ‘misspoke’ about Hong Kong presence during Tiananmen Square massacre

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz acknowledged on Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate that he “misspoke” about previously claiming to be in Hong Kong during the infamous Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Despite the correction, Walz maintained that he was in Hong Kong and China during the broader pro-democracy protests of that year.

What he’s saying: Walz initially claimed to have been in Hong Kong on June 4, 1989, the day of the violent Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. When questioned by moderators at the CBS News debate, the Democratic candidate admitted to his mistake, saying “I’ve not been perfect, I’m a knucklehead at times” and attributing it to getting “caught up in the rhetoric.” While he reiterated that he had been in Hong Kong that summer, he clarified that he was not there during the massacre itself. Reports have surfaced indicating that Walz was actually in Nebraska when the violence erupted. An article from the Alliance Times-Herald dated May 16, 1989, featured a photo of Walz touring a Nebraska National Guard storeroom in Alliance, Nebraska. As noted in the caption, he “will take over the job” of staffing duties from a retiring guardsman and “will be moving to Alliance.” Additionally, an earlier April 1989 article from a Nebraska newspaper noted that he planned to travel to China in early August of that year.
About the debate and who won it: The debate between Walz and Republican nominee J.D. Vance was largely seen as a draw slightly in favor of the latter. In a post-debate survey by CBS, 42% of viewers declared Vance the winner, 41% sided with Walz and 17% called it a tie. The policy-focused debate was viewed as generally positive, with both candidates considered “reasonable” and prepared for the presidency by a majority of viewers. Vance was seen as stronger on immigration, while Walz had an edge on healthcare and abortion. Though Walz spent more time explaining his views, Vance focused more on attacking the Harris-Walz ticket.

Share this Article