Minnesota's first lady, Gwen Walz, sparked controversy during a recent campaign event in Wisconsin, where she delivered a passionate speech supporting her husband, Gov. Tim Walz, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Fox News reported that speaking before an energetic crowd, Gwen Walz emphasized the need to move beyond the current political climate, making a pointed reference to former President Donald Trump.
Her remarks included a notable hand gesture, mimicking a "bye-bye" motion aimed at Trump, which stirred criticism from political commentators, especially in light of Trump surviving another assassination attempt.
Furthermore, Gwen Walz's speech seemed to worsen headaches at the White House as her grating speech and hyperenergetic presentation made for more advertising material for the Trump campaign.
During her speech, Walz drew attention to Harris' performance in a recent debate, stating that it was time to "turn the page" on Trump's presidency.
Using a sweeping motion, she pantomimed the act of turning a page and invited the audience to join in, saying that there were "52 days to turn the page" on Trump’s political career.
As she delivered her remarks, Walz escalated the moment with a broader gesture, exclaiming, "Bye-bye, Donald Trump!" This call to action was met with loud applause from supporters but received criticism from various commentators shortly after the event.
Gwen Walz’s bold gesture was intended to capture the crowd’s attention, and it did just that. As she spoke, the crowd responded enthusiastically, engaging in the pantomime of “turning the page” on Trump’s presidential run. However, this act did not sit well with everyone.
Some critics, like political commentator Noah Rothman, labeled her actions as “bizarre” and questioned the appropriateness of such behavior on the campaign trail. Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk echoed these sentiments, referring to the hand gesture as “weird.”
Since becoming Minnesota's first lady in 2019, Gwen Walz has been an outspoken advocate for her husband’s political career, but her involvement in public events has often drawn attention for both praise and criticism. She and Gov. Tim Walz, who met in the 1990s while they were both teachers, have maintained a public-facing partnership throughout his time in office.
While Saturday’s gesture garnered attention, it wasn't the first time Gwen Walz had been a controversial figure.
In 2020, during the Minnesota riots, she made headlines for her comments about keeping the windows open to “smell the burning tires” during the unrest in the Twin Cities. Those remarks were also criticized as out-of-touch by figures on the political right.
Gwen Walz’s 2020 comments, which described the experience of witnessing the Minnesota riots, were brought back into the public discourse following her recent speech.
At the time, she stated, “I could smell the burning tires, and that was a very real thing. And I kept the windows open as long as I could because I felt like that was such a touchstone of what was happening.”
Those comments drew fire from various commentators, including Rothman and Kirk, who found her remarks to be strange and out of sync with the broader public sentiment. Rothman criticized her as “eccentric” and “offbeat,” while Kirk referred to the comments as simply “weird.”
As the speech circulated in the media, many awaited a response from the Harris-Walz campaign. However, as of Sunday evening, the campaign had not responded to requests for comment on the controversy.
The lack of an official statement has left some to speculate whether the campaign intends to address the backlash at all.
Despite the criticism, Gwen Walz's supporters view her remarks as a passionate call for change. Her engagement with the crowd, particularly the hand gesture, struck a chord with those eager to see Trump’s influence fade from the political landscape.
With only 52 days remaining until the election, Gwen Walz’s speech adds another layer to an already heated campaign season. The Harris-Walz ticket is in a crucial phase of rallying support, particularly in swing states like Wisconsin, where this latest event took place.
As the campaign progresses, Gwen Walz is likely to continue playing a visible role in advocating for her husband and Harris. Whether her controversial hand gesture will continue to be a point of contention or simply a memorable moment on the campaign trail remains to be seen.
