Tim Walz lets loose in rant-filled talk with liberal think tank
Former Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz has built a reputation for his off-the-cuff comments.
The Democratic Minnesota governor made no exception during a Center for American Progress (CAP) event on Friday morning called, "What's Next: Conversations on the Path Forward."
Walz said China might be the voice of "moral authority" following Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and military leaders.
"Now, who is the voice in the world that can negotiate some type of agreement in this? Who holds the moral authority? Who holds the ability to do that? Because we are not seen as a neutral actor, and we maybe never were," Walz said of the U.S.' role in de-escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Tim Walz Hopes It Rains On Trump's Military Parade: 'I'm Just Going To Confess'
According to Walz, the U.S. once attempted "to be somewhat of the arbitrator" in those negotiations during the Iran Nuclear Deal, but he said Americans must face the reality that the "neutral actor" with the "moral authority" to lead negotiations in the Middle East "might be the Chinese."
Read On The Fox News App
Tim Walz Floats China As 'Neutral Actor' With 'Moral Authority' To Negotiate Middle East Peace
Walz didn't elaborate on why China would be that world leader.
The Minnesota Democrat also admitted he is hoping for rain during President Donald Trump's military parade.
"I have never so hoped for rain in my life," Walz said.
Trump is hosting a massive Flag Day military parade on Saturday to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to gather in the nation's capital to witness the historic parade, which also coincides with the president's 79th birthday.
"This is not Pyongyang on a Saturday," Walz said, referring to the capital of North Korea, which is a communist, totalitarian dictatorship. Walz has joined many Democrats, including those planning to protest on Saturday, in criticizing Trump's military parade by drawing comparisons to China and North Korea's military parades.
Trump's military parade on Saturday comes amid escalated conflict in the Middle East, after Israel launched air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and military leaders, and Iran responded by launching missiles toward Israeli territory.
Walz was ridiculed earlier this year for celebrating Tesla's stock drop as protests raged on, rejecting Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
"On the iPhone, they've got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day — $225 and dropping," Walz said at the time.
Walz on Friday said that speaking out against Musk and Tesla "worked" because it started to hurt the billionaire personally.
The Democrat, who rose to the national stage as former Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate during her brief 2024 presidential campaign, criticized Trump along his usual attack lines on Friday.
Walz said Trump is "incompetent at governing," and America is in a "dangerous time" under Trump's leadership, which he said is "marching towards authoritarianism" following the chaotic incident in which authorities forcibly removed Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., at a Department of Homeland Security press conference on Thursday.
The former vice presidential candidate also said he was successful in labeling Trump "weird" during the 2024 presidential campaign.
"I thought instead of making him a scary authoritarian wannabe who is incredibly dangerous, which I believe he is, I just thought, what a weird dude doing some of this stuff," Walz said.
Walz added he "got a bunch of heat" for "inciting violence because I said we should bully the c--- out of Donald Trump."
Earlier this year, the Minnesota governor said Harris chose him as her running mate, in part, because, "I could code talk to White guys watching football, fixing their truck" and "put them at ease," describing himself as the "permission structure" for White men from rural America to vote for Democrats.
"I think I'll give you pretty good stuff, but I'll also give you 10% problematic," he added.
Walz laughed off criticism over inconsistencies in his background on the 2024 campaign trail, describing himself as a "knucklehead."Original article source: Tim Walz lets loose in rant-filled talk with liberal think tank
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
U.S. Soccer Star Dishes On 'Weird' Oval Office Moment With Donald Trump
U.S. Men's National Soccer Team star Timothy Weah has opened up about what he described as the 'weird' experience of standing behind Donald Trump in the Oval Office while the president fielded questions on the Iran-Israel war and attacked the idea of transgender women competing in women's sports. Weah was at the White House with his Juventus teammates on Wednesday as part of a promotional event for the FIFA Club World Cup, ahead of the Italian side's 5-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates' Al-Ain FC. Advertisement Trump invited questions from reporters about the game and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. will host alongside Mexico and Canada. But the Juventus players stood uncomfortably behind POTUS as he instead answered queries about the more pressing political questions of the day. Weah, the son of former Liberian soccer star-turned-former president George Weah, later told reporters that the players had been made to attend the event. 'They told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go,' he explained, reported The Athletic. 'I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird,' he added. 'When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like, I just want to play football, man.' Related...
Bloomberg
18 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Bassiri Tabrizi: Promising To See Diplomacy Back on Table
President Trump says he is putting off US action on Iran, for now. The White House says he'll decide within two weeks whether to attack, adding that his goal remains halting uranium enrichment, and he remains open to diplomacy if possible. Gulf leaders are assessing the possibility of the Islamic Republic's clerical regime falling as an impact of the war between Israel and Iran. Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, Senior Analyst at Control Risks told Bloomberg's Horizons Middle East and Africa anchor Joumanna Bercetche on the next steps ahead. (Source: Bloomberg)
Newsweek
23 minutes ago
- Newsweek
US's NATO and Pacific Allies Sail Warships Near China's Coast
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United Kingdom and Japan—United States allies in NATO and the Pacific respectively—have sent naval ships through the Taiwan Strait, which China has long claimed sovereignty over. Regarding the passage of the British patrol vessel HMS Spey on Wednesday, the Chinese military described it as "undermining peace and stability" across the 110-mile-wide waterway. Newsweek has emailed the Chinese and Japanese defense ministries for further comment. Why It Matters Communist China has declared its "sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction" over the Taiwan Strait, which separates its territory from Taiwan and connects two contested seas—the East China Sea and the South China Sea—making it a strategic waterway. Despite never having ruled Taiwan—a security partner of the U.S.—the Communist regime in Beijing has long claimed the self-governed, democratic island as one of its provinces. Xi Jinping, leader of China, has vowed to use force to achieve "reunification," if necessary. As military tensions between China and Taiwan have grown in recent years, the U.S. and its allies and partners have frequently conducted naval and aerial passages through the Taiwan Strait, asserting freedoms of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law. What To Know The Spey—a Royal Navy vessel deployed to the Indo-Pacific region—navigated the Taiwan Strait, according to Taiwanese media citing the British Office in Taipei. Prior to the transit, the ship conducted joint patrols in the East China Sea with the U.S. Coast Guard. The British Office stated that the passage was conducted in accordance with the rights granted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said the transit reaffirmed the strait's status as what it calls "international waters." The Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey is moored pier side during a scheduled port visit at Sasebo naval base in Japan on June 5, 2025. The Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey is moored pier side during a scheduled port visit at Sasebo naval base in Japan on June 5, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kristen Yarber/U.S. Navy The Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command, which oversees military affairs related to Taiwan, confirmed the Spey's transit in a statement on Friday. It claimed its units tracked and monitored the ship in the Taiwan Strait, handling the situation "effectively." This was not the first time a British warship has sailed through the Taiwan Strait. In September 2021, the frigate HMS Richmond—deployed to the western Pacific with an aircraft carrier group—transited the waterway en route to Vietnam after operating in the East China Sea. Meanwhile, Japanese destroyer JS Takanami passed southward through the Taiwan Strait on June 12, Japanese media reported on Thursday, citing unspecified "diplomatic sources." The transit, which was tracked and monitored by the Chinese military, lasted over 10 hours, according to the report. The Japanese warship entered the strait from the East China Sea and proceeded to the Philippines, where it conducted a drill in the South China Sea on June 14. A Philippine naval helicopter hovers above the Japanese destroyer JS Takanami during a joint maritime exercise held in the South China Sea on June 14, 2025. A Philippine naval helicopter hovers above the Japanese destroyer JS Takanami during a joint maritime exercise held in the South China Sea on June 14, 2025. Kyodo via AP Images While the Japanese government does not officially acknowledge naval transits through the Taiwan Strait, the June 12 transit marked the third known passage by Japan's navy. The previous two occurred in September last year and February this year, the report added. What People Are Saying The British Office in Taipei told Taiwanese media on Thursday: "Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international law and exercises its right to freedom of navigation and overflight provided by [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea]." The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs encourages like-minded countries such as the United Kingdom to jointly defend peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, and maintain a rules-based international order." Senior Captain Liu Runke, navy spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement on Friday: "The troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command will remain on high alert at all times and resolutely counter all threats and provocations." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether other U.S. allies and partners—both within and beyond the Pacific—will deploy warships to the Taiwan Strait, as China continues to maintain a persistent military presence around Taiwan.
