J.D. Vance has criticized Tim Walz as “the guy who let rioters burn down Minneapolis” in May 2020.  The New York Times “Fact Check” says that “this is exaggerated….claims that he did not respond at all, or that the city burned down, are hyperbolic.”[1]  Hyperbole is the common coin of American politics.  People know what you mean.  What were the facts? 

            On 25 May 2020, several Minneapolis police officers participated in the murder of George Floyd.  The killing aroused public opinion in the Minneapolis area.  From 26 through 30 May 2020, the area witnessed much civil unrest.  Demonstrations quickly turned to rioting, looting, and arson.[2] 

Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey asked Governor Tim Walz for 600 National Guard troops on the evening of 27 May 2020.  One text from a Frey aide said that Walz was “hesitating.”  Walz didn’t approve the request until 4:00 PM on 28 May. 

            How much time was lost?  The initial request came at or before 8:00 PM on 27 May, two hours after the day’s looting and rioting had begun.  Walz waited until 4:00 PM on 28 May to approve the request.  That’s a 20-hour delay.  Even then, he ordered in 500 guardsmen.  Early on the morning of 29 May the first National Guard elements were on the streets of Minneapolis.  That was 12-14 hours after Walz had granted his approval. 

What if Walz had granted Frey’s original request made at 8:00 PM on 27 May?  Then the first National Guard troops could have been on the street by 8:00 to 10:00 AM on 28 May.  Most of the daylight hours were peaceful.  Night brought the burning of the Third Precinct police building and much destruction in St. Paul.  Not until 30 May did Walz order a large mobilization of National Guard troops, eventually totaling over 7,000.

Why did Walz hesitate?  Walz has said that he didn’t believe that Frey “knew what he was asking for”; nor did the mayor tell Walz how many troops he wanted, or what he wanted them to do, or what capabilities they should possess.  Why would Frey be able to tell him these things?  He was a 39-year old former city council-man become a first-term mayor.  He had never actually run anything before, let alone had to deal with a riot.  He really needed someone to step in and take the lead.  Walz might have recognized that.  Walz might have called Frey early to offer National Guard troops, not wait for a request, then let it get bogged down in process issues. 

But what is true of Jacob Frey is also true of Tim Walz in May 2020.  He had run a classroom, a high school football team, and some study-abroad trips.  He had been an enlisted man in the Army National Guard, rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.  According to a story in the New York Times, his Guard unit served on missions like “flood cleanup and recoveries from forest fires and tornadoes.”  Walz implemented orders from superior officers.  His commanding officer has praised him as “a good soldier” who was “energetic,” “dependable,” and “willing to do whatever we asked him to do.”[3]  He had been a Congressman for ten years, cozening executive branch officials on behalf of his constituents and taking positions on issues.  Walz became Governor on 17 January 2019.  He had even less time in office than did Frey.  Like Frey, he had never run anything so big or faced a real crisis.  It should come as no surprise that he did some things wrong.  The real question is what did he learn from the experience? 

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[1] Linda Qiu, “How Republican Claims About Walz’s Record Stand Up to Scrutiny,” NYT, 11 August 2024. 

[2] See: George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul – Wikipedia 

[3] Thomas Gibbons-Neff, John Ismay, and Kate Selig, “Walz Ended His 24-Year Military Career With a Hard Decision,” NYT, 13 August 2024.