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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.”
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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.”
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