Walz stuns internet with faux pas in vice president debate: 'I became friends with school shooters'

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz confused the internet on Tuesday when he accidentally declared that he had “become friends with school shooters” during CBS News' vice presidential debate against Sen. JD Vance.

The ill-timed mishap occurred as Walz was asked about a change in position on the assault weapons ban, which he previously opposed but now supports.

“I was sitting in this office with these Sandy Hook parents. I became friends with school shooters. I saw it,” Walz said.

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz confused the internet on Tuesday when he accidentally declared that he had “become friends with school shooters” during CBS News' vice presidential debate against Sen. JD Vance. (Getty Images)

While Walz probably meant he had befriended parents who lost children in horrific school shootings, the internet went into an uproar.

“Walz saying he befriended school shooters while referring to victims is an innocent misrepresentation. Repeatedly lying about his military rank, drunk driving, IVF and Hong Kong/Tiananmen Square are not innocent misrepresentations,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson responded.

The Media Research Center called it a “regrettable slip of the tongue.”

Walz's critics were quick to mock Vice President Kamala Harris' nominee. Former President Trump asked if Walz was “crazy,” Trump War Room quickly shared a video of the gaffe, and Walz was declared “not ready for prime time” by Trump's national press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

WALZ had to correct his record about whether he was in China for the Tiananmen Square protests

Fox News contributor Andy McCarthy downplayed the faux pas.

“Walz obviously misspoke, he didn’t mean he made friends with school shooters. Come on. That’s a good, high-minded debate these days,” McCarthy wrote.

Expert John Podhoretz added: “Walz obviously meant that he had befriended parents whose children were tragically shot. People will forgive him for his false statement. As long as it’s true.”

However, journalist Andy Ngo called it the “gaffe of the 2024 election” and the influential Robby Starbuck asked: “Um… Does he want to explain?”

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Minnesota Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz speaks during a vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News with Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Adam Shaw of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.