More of Donald Trump‘s “flip-flopping” went viral after he bashed Kamala Harris‘ running mate, Tim Walz, for the same thing he previously supported on tape and claimed credit for. The current “hateration” in question: Trump backtracking about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s handling of the unrest that followed George Floyd’s murder in 2020.
Source: Michael Ciaglo/Andrew Harnik / Getty
However, recently resurfaced audio recordings reveal that Trump’s current criticism is more misinformation from the “fake news” felon himself. CNN previously reported a full transcript of the detailed call between Trump and US governors.
Trump’s 2020 Praise Of Walz: A Conveniently Forgotten History
Trump and his campaign have recently claimed that Walz “let Minneapolis burn.” Let’s rewind to June 1, 2020, when protests erupted across the country following the harrowing death of George Floyd, a Black man whose life was brutally taken by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Amidst the nationwide uproar, Minneapolis became ground zero for protests, some of which turned violent as the city grappled with deep-seated anger and grief.
Listen to the audio here where Trump praises Walz:
During this time, Donald Trump was quick to praise Governor Walz for his handling of the protests. According to AP News, a phone call that included top officials like Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Attorney General William Barr, Trump told Walz, “What they did in Minneapolis was incredible. They went in and dominated, and it happened immediately.”
Yes, you read that right.
Trump, who now claims that Walz “let rioters burn Minneapolis,” was singing an entirely different tune back when the heat was on. Newsone states that Trump even went so far as to call Walz “an excellent guy” during that call.
Fast forward to the 2024 presidential campaign, and Trump, along with his running mate JD Vance, is suddenly criticizing Walz for supposedly allowing Minneapolis to burn during the protests. But here’s the kicker: that same audio recording, which Trump and the GOP are conveniently ignoring, directly contradicts these claims.
AP News received a statement from Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, who is trying to spin the narrative.
“Governor Walz allowed Minneapolis to burn for days, despite President Trump’s offer to deploy soldiers and cries for help from the liberal Mayor of Minneapolis,” said Leavitt.
However, according to the phone call, Trump was praising Walz for deploying the National Guard. Trump himself claimed credit for in a 2024 fundraiser, despite the fact that it was Walz who gave the official order.
This attempt to rewrite history isn’t just disingenuous; it’s a blatant attempt to mislead voters as Trump and his team scramble to discredit Walz, who has been tapped as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 election.
The GOP’s current claims are nothing more than desperate attempts at damage control. What a PR mess.
Republicans like House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House GOP Chair Elise Stefanik have also jumped on the bandwagon.
Newsone reports that Trump’s VP, JD Vance, ever eager to play the race card, questioned whether Black business leaders in Minneapolis were grateful that Walz supposedly allowed their businesses to burn.
But again, the receipts—aka that 2020 audio—tell a different story.
Truth Is Out, But Will It Matter?
So, what’s the takeaway from all this? Simply put, Trump’s attempt to backtrack on his OWN recorded words is just another case of political opportunism. But thanks to modern technology and a few vigilant social media users, the truth is out there for anyone willing to see it.
As the 2024 election heats up, it’s CONTINUOSLY proven that clearly the GOP is willing to bend, twist, and outright break the truth to suit their narrative. But the truth has a way of coming to light—whether they like it or not.
For Trump and his team, the message is clear: You can’t rewrite history when the receipts are only a click away.
