They say blood is thicker than water, but maybe not during a presidential year.
An image started circulating on social media Sept. 4 that showed eight people standing in front of a banner supporting former President Donald Trump. They all wore shirts that said “Nebraska Walz’s for Trump.”
And so began claims that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, was a black sheep with no relatives to back him.
“The entire family of Kamala Harris’ running mate Tim Walz — they are all supporting Donald Trump,” actor Steve Hanks said in a Sept. 4 Instagram post that shared the image.
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The Harris campaign didn’t respond to PolitiFact’s questions about the photo. Neither did Charles Herbster, a former Nebraska governor candidate who first posted the photo on X.
Herbster, however, didn’t claim Walz’s entire family supported Trump.
“Tim Walz’s family back in Nebraska wants you to know something … ” he said, sharing the image.
Of course, anyone who watched the Democratic National Convention would know that Walz’s entire family doesn’t support Trump.
Walz’s wife, daughter and son appeared emotional on camera during the event and later joined him on stage after he accepted the nomination.
Walz has two surviving siblings. His brother, Jeff Walz, recently drew media attention after posting about his brother on Facebook, saying they hadn’t spoken in eight years and that he was “100% opposed to all his ideology.”
His sister, Sandy Dietrich, meanwhile, told The Associated Press that she and her family were “Democrats for Tim.”
A spokesperson for Herbster also told the AP that the people in the photo wearing Trump shirts “are descendants of Francis Walz, who was brother to Tim Walz’s grandfather.”
That side of the family confirmed to the AP that their “grandfathers were brothers.”
“We weren’t close with them,” Dietrich said. “We didn’t know them.”
We rate claims that Walz’s “entire family” is supporting Trump False.
Truth-o-meter Ruling
If your time is short
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s brother has criticized his ideology, and his second cousins were photographed wearing Trump shirts. But other Walz family members, including his sister, wife and children, are backing Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Statement
Context
an Instagram postSpeaker/Target
Statement Date
Our Sources
Instagram post, Sept. 4, 2024
X post, Sept. 4, 2024
Jeff Walz Facebook account, visited Sept. 5, 2024
CNN, Tim Walz’s brother stands by criticism of his policies but says Facebook ‘wasn’t the right platform’ to express views, Sept. 4, 2024
The New York Post, Tim Walz’s older brother is ‘100% opposed to all his ideology,’ believes VP hopeful is not ‘type of character’ who should make decisions about US’ future, Aug. 31, 2024
NewsNation, Exclusive: Jeff Walz clarifies comments, tells NewsNation he opposes Tim Walz’s views, Sept. 4, 2024
The Associated Press, That photo of people wearing ‘Nebraska Walz’s for Trump’ shirts? They’re distant cousins, Sept. 4, 2024
Today, What to know about Tim Walz’s family, including his 3 siblings, Aug. 6, 2024
ABC News, Tim Walz's son Gus breaks down in tears during dad's DNC speech: Meet the VP pick's family, Aug. 22, 2024