Trump claims Walz asked for help to stop protests in 2020

By Pat Kessler

MINNEAPOLIS — Former President Donald Trump says Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz once asked him to say they were friends in order to stop pro-Trump protesters from attacking him.

Trump made the claim on the popular Fox News program "Gutfeld!" He said Walz asked him for protection from MAGA protesters outside the governor's residence during the 2020 riots.

In Trump's story, Walz pleaded for help and Trump saved him.

"He called up years ago, I was in the White House, and he said, 'My house is being surrounded by people with American flags.' And I said, 'Is that a good thing or a bad thing?' He said, 'I think they're going to attack me.'" Trump said. "He said, 'Can you put out a word that like I'm your friend?' I don't even know him, but that's the only time I ever spoke to him. I put out a statement. 'He's a good man, the governor. He's on our side.' I didn't know him, but I didn't want him to get hurt."

Trump appears to have conflated separate events and mischaracterized crucial facts.

There were pro-Trump protesters at the Minnesota governor's residence in April 2020 protesting Walz's emergency COVID lockdown orders. They were boisterous but not threatening.

That same day, Trump stirred up protesters to march on several blue state governors to oppose lockdowns, tweeting, "Liberate Minnesota!"

That pandemic protest had no connection whatsoever to the George Floyd riots in Minneapolis six weeks later.

It was Trump who called Walz then, offering military assistance after Walz activated the National Guard .

That night, Trump famously tweeted, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts."

Trump says the MAGA protest is the only time he has ever spoken with Walz, but that's not true either. As governor, Walz spoke with Trump multiple times and says the conversations were "relatively cordial."