Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz called himself a “knucklehead” when pressed during the vice presidential debate on Tuesday about falsely claiming he was in Hong Kong during China’s Tiananmen Square massacre in the summer of 1989.

CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan, one of the debate moderators, noted how multiple news outlets reported that Walz did not actually travel to Asia until later that year after the protests.

Tim Walz is asked why he lied about being in China during the Tiananmen Square massacre: "I'm a knucklehead at times. Many times I will talk a lot. I will get caught up in the rhetoric." pic.twitter.com/uTmmeQk7a8

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) October 2, 2024

During the middle of his response, which began with a backstory on why he traveled to China as a teacher, Walz eventually circled back to the question at hand.

“I’ve tried to do the best I can, but I’ve not been perfect and I’m a knucklehead at times,” Walz said after insisting that the community that elected him to office “knows who I am.”

Walz later said he would concede there are times when he “will talk a lot” and “get caught up in the rhetoric.”

The “knucklehead” comment elicited some mockery and other critiques on social media.

Moderator: Governor Walz, why did you lie about when you were in China?

Walz: I'm just a country boy knucklehead, aw shucks.

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) October 2, 2024

Tim Walz just called himself a knucklehead

Truest statement of the night!

🤣

— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) October 2, 2024

First it was his bad grammar (to explain his lies). Now it’s “im a knucklehead”

— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 2, 2024

 

“I’m a knucklehead at times” – Tim Walz

First true thing he’s said!

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 2, 2024

"I’m a knucklehead at times" was @Tim_Walz ACTUAL response to him lying to voters about being in China during Tiananmen Square. Not very confidence inspiring! 🥴😂

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 2, 2024

the moderator: why did u lie about being in hong kong during the tianamen square protests

tim walz: well you see im middle class and a knucklehead

— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) October 2, 2024

Brennan followed up with Walz, repeating the substance of her question, asking if could “explain the discrepancy.”

During his brief reply, Walz said he “misspoke.”

Moderator: "Can you explain the discrepancy?"

Walz: "I misspoke…" pic.twitter.com/nMXPXN3oPZ

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) October 2, 2024

The debate featured Walz, who also has faced a “stolen valor” controversy during the 2024 campaign, in addition to his GOP rival Sen. JD Vance (R-OH).

Walz is the running mate to Vice President Kamala Harris while Vance is former President Donald Trump’s VP pick.

More than 200 retired U.S. generals and admirals signed a letter endorsing former President Donald Trump for president this week.

Flag Officers 4 America posted the letter on Monday from the retired military leaders in which they warned about the dangers of not electing Trump.

“It can be argued easily this is the most important election since our Nation was founded,” they said. “We are at a historic crossroad where we must either choose to stand for our Constitution and its underlying traditional values which have made America great, or we continue down the path the current administration’s top leadership is taking into the deadly abyss of socialism and authoritarian cultural Marxism.”

They said that the Democrat Party has actively worked to divide Americans into conflicting groups, known as intersectionality, even as foreign enemies have stoked anti-American and anti-Semitic extremism on college campuses.

They also warned that assessments on the threat environment that the U.S. faces, including from foreign adversaries, is so high that the country could easily get drawn into a war with a near-peer adversary and could lose.

Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!

“These assessments should be shocking to any American. Our national security is in serious jeopardy and our adversaries know it,” they said. “As the Administration imposes divisive social engineering programs embodied in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the expense of warfighting readiness, China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, and global terrorists are rapidly expanding their capabilities and aggressiveness. This did not happen during Donald Trump’s presidency.”

The retired generals and admirals highlighted “political policies and actions coming from the current Administration (President & Vice President)” that have damaged the U.S., including:

Open borders: The influx of countless millions of unvetted illegals from 160 countries, including ~100,000 Chinese, most of military age, plus thousands of criminals and terrorists, place America at great risk. Future terrorist attacks of some size and fashion on U.S. soil are a near certainty. Border security is national security. The Economy and Inflation: Inflation caused by the Administration’s policies, affect national defense because it decreases the money available to properly equip, train, arm and size our military. Today, just the annual interest on our debt exceeds the entire defense budget. That is not sustainable. Every dollar spent paying interest on the national debt is a dollar wasted and not available for defense of our country. Physical and mental condition of the CINC: A May 2021 letter signed by over 200 retired flag officers said: “The mental and physical condition of the Commander-In-Chief cannot be ignored. He must be able to quickly make accurate national security decisions involving life and limb anywhere, day or night.” For the past 3.5 years, the CINC’s/President’s obvious impairments have been deliberately concealed and denied by the Vice President and others, placing politics above national security.

They said that the issues outlined above can be reversed by new policies, which led them to endorsing Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We endorse Donald J. Trump for president based on his proven national security track record,” they wrote. “His policies, coupled with his ability to implement them in the face of opposition, worked before and will work again.”