Tim Walz heckled by veterans for stolen valor claims, China connections

Veterans heckled Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., for stolen valor claims during remarks astatine a veterans rally astatine the Minnesota State Capitol successful St. Paul connected Wednesday.

As Walz welcomed the veterans to the Capitol for the yearly "Veterans Day connected the Hill," helium was met by a fiery assemblage who called him a "coward" and criticized him for sympathizing with China, according to footage captured by KSTP.

"Coward! You sympathize with the Chinese!" immoderate veterans holding American flags and "take action" signs shouted astatine the Democratic politician arsenic helium welcomed them to the Capitol. 

"Sir, you're invited to come… Let maine finish!" Walz replied arsenic helium tried to easiness tensions portion different seasoned shouted: "Shut your f------ mouth!" 

WISCONSINITES KICKED OUT AND DENIED ENTRY TO THIS DEMOCRAT'S 'FAKE TOWN HALL'

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice statesmanlike nominee, speaks astatine a get-out-the-vote rally connected Oct. 22, 2024, successful Madison, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

"Woah, hey – there’s immoderate passionateness successful the building, which is simply a bully thing," Walz said earlier opening his address. 

VETERANS INCREASINGLY CALLING OUT WALZ'S MILITARY RECORD: 'SHAMEFUL'

Footage of the hecklers disrupting Walz's remarks has gone viral connected societal media, with blimpish influencers celebrating the criticism. 

Walz faced accusations of stolen valor during the 2024 statesmanlike predetermination for inconsistencies describing his subject service. 

Walz is simply a veteran, having served successful the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery aft transferring from the Nebraska National Guard successful 1996. He retired arsenic a maestro sergeant successful 2005.

Gov. Tim Walz faced accusations of stolen valor connected the run way for inconsistencies describing his subject service. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The erstwhile vice statesmanlike campaigner was accused of stolen valor for retiring conscionable months earlier his battalion deployed to Iraq arsenic warfare raged successful the Middle East pursuing the 9/11 attacks. Walz enactment successful his papers for status astatine slightest 5 months earlier his battalion received deployment orders, according to the Minnesota National Guard.

Walz was besides discovered to person claimed respective times that helium retired arsenic a bid sergeant major, which is not close – helium reverted to his erstwhile fertile upon status due to the fact that helium did not implicit the indispensable corresponding coursework, the National Guard has said.

Walz's decades-long ties to China besides came to airy erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris picked him arsenic her moving mate past summer. He worked concisely successful China arsenic a teacher, traveling to Guangdong successful 1989 for a teaching-abroad programme to thatch English and American history. 

He was initially believed to person made dozens of trips to China implicit his lifetime, but a run spokesperson aboriginal tried to locomotion that fig backmost and said helium made astir 15 visits to China. He besides boasted astir Minnesota hosting respective apical Chinese leaders successful a missive unearthed by Fox News Digital.

UNEARTHED LETTER REVEALS WALZ BOASTED ABOUT MINNESOTA HOSTING 'NUMEROUS SENIOR CHINESE LEADERS'

Gov. Tim Walz speaks astatine a run lawsuit connected Oct. 14, 2024, successful Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

The 2024 run way brought Walz's inconsistencies regarding his inheritance into the nationalist conversation. Walz said helium "misspoke" erstwhile helium claimed helium visited Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and incorrectly claimed his household utilized successful vitro fertilization. Walz laughed disconnected the missteps, calling himself a "knucklehead."

The Commanders' Task Force and Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers hosted the rally successful the Rotunda that erupted successful boos for Walz connected Wednesday. The yearly lawsuit is designed to streamline connection betwixt Minnesota elected officials and veterans. 

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Once the fury settled, Walz committed to upholding fund protections for veterans during his remarks, successful airy of Minnesota fund negotiations and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) starring efforts to chopped spending and laic disconnected national employees astatine the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

Walz did not respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment. 

Fox News Digital's Emma Colton and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.