Tim Walz's Tiananmen Square Misstatement Challenges Campaign Credibility

Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, acknowledged misstatements about his whereabouts during the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. He admitted he was not present in Asia during the events, as previously claimed. The revelation surfaced after Minnesota public radio found contradicting evidence. The issue casts doubts on his credibility ahead of the upcoming election.

Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, has confirmed that he was not in Hong Kong or Asia during the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, despite earlier claims to the contrary. This admission came after Minnesota Public Radio uncovered a photograph and a newspaper report from that period that contradicted his statements.

Walz addressed the issue during a televised debate with Republican JD Vance, stating, 'I'm a knucklehead at times. I got there that summer and misspoke.' While he frequented China as a teacher in the 1990s, leading trips of U.S. high school students, he had previously stated that he was near the demonstrations, which resulted in a severe government crackdown in June 1989.

Minnesota's public radio station MPR News reported on Sept. 30 about a photograph taken on May 16, 1989, showing Walz working in the National Guard Armory in Alliance. Another newspaper article from August 1989 mentioned that he was en route to China later that year. This revelation casts doubt on his credibility, posing challenges for his campaign.

(With inputs from agencies.)