Quick Hit:

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz claimed he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, but local news reports reveal he was actually in Nebraska at the time.

Key Details: 

• Walz testified in 2014 that he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 1989.  
• Local news reports from Nebraska show Walz was in the state until August 1989, contradicting his testimony.  
• The Walz campaign has not provided any documentation to support his claim of being in Hong Kong during the crackdown.

Diving Deeper:  

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is facing scrutiny over his claim that he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 1989, a pivotal moment in Chinese history. According to new reports, Walz was actually in Nebraska during that period, and he did not leave for China until August, months after the massacre.

Walz first made the claim during a 2014 congressional hearing, marking the 25th anniversary of the Chinese government's crackdown on pro-democracy protests. Walz described being in Hong Kong in May of 1989, saying, "I was just going to teach high school in Foshan in Guangdong, and was in Hong Kong in May of '89." He even recalled scenes at the Hong Kong train station as the Chinese military moved against the protestors in Beijing. However, newly surfaced local reports show Walz was in Nebraska in May and June of that year.

A news article from the Alliance Times-Herald in May 1989 details Walz touring a National Guard storeroom in Alliance, Nebraska. Another report from the Chadron Record in April 1989 announced that Walz would leave for China in August, and a follow-up report confirmed his departure for China was delayed until August, long after the student protests had ended.

Minnesota Public Radio, which first reported the discrepancy, noted that Walz’s campaign was unable to provide any documentation backing up his claim. This revelation adds to a pattern of exaggerations in Walz's career. He has previously misrepresented his military rank and educational background, claiming to be a "retired command sergeant major" without completing the necessary qualifications.

Despite these inconsistencies, Walz maintained during his 2014 testimony that the massacre had a profound impact on him, saying it "certainly had an enduring influence on me as a young man." Yet the inaccuracies in his account are raising questions about his credibility.