Trump Supports Walz on Floyd Protests

In the wake of Kamala Harris announcing Tim Walz as her running mate, allies of former President Donald Trump criticized the Minnesota governor's response to the riots following George Floyd's murder in May 2020. However, a recording of a June 1, 2020, phone call reveals that Trump praised Walz's leadership during the protests, calling him an "excellent guy" and commending his handling of the situation. Trump suggested that his encouragement led Walz to eventually call in the National Guard, despite claims that Walz allowed Minneapolis to burn for days. The timeline of events indicates that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey requested the National Guard on May 27, 2020, but Walz did not mobilize them until 15 hours later. An after-action report noted that the governor's office delayed responding to the mayor's request, which contributed to the escalation of violence. Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen of the Minnesota National Guard testified that earlier deployment could have mitigated the destruction. Despite the criticism, during the June 1 call, Walz expressed gratitude for Trump's support and emphasized the importance of framing the National Guard as "neighbors" rather than an occupying force. The report released in March 2022 highlighted the unproductive public disagreements between the mayor and governor regarding their response to the protests, which some interviewees believed exacerbated the situation. Trump has since claimed that his presidency was crucial in restoring order to Minneapolis, reiterating his support for Walz during the 2020 call while placing blame on the mayor for the unrest.