Darlene Walz, the mother of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has confirmed the strained relationship between her two sons-a political divide that has emerged into the spotlight following Tim Walz's selection as Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate. Speaking to The Daily Beast on Wednesday, Darlene revealed her attempts to stay neutral in the growing rift between Tim and his older brother Jeff, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump.
"I want to keep peace with all of them," Darlene Walz said, reflecting the challenge of maintaining family harmony amid deep political differences. "I think the best thing maybe, for me, is to just stay out of it."
The tension between the brothers has been simmering for years, with Jeff Walz's political views sharply contrasting with those of his younger brother. While Tim Walz is known for his progressive policies-such as his advocacy for menstrual equity in Minnesota schools-Jeff has been vocal in his support for Trump, going so far as to donate to the Trump campaign in 2016.
The family discord gained national attention last week when Jeff Walz took to Facebook to publicly declare his opposition to his brother's political ideology. In the post, which was first reported by The New York Post, Jeff stated he was "100% opposed" to his brother's views and even suggested he might endorse Trump officially. He later expressed regret for making these comments on social media, acknowledging that Facebook was not the appropriate platform for airing such grievances.
"I was getting a lot of feedback from my friends, old acquaintances, thinking that I was feeling the same way that my brother did on the issues, and I was trying to clarify that just to friends," Jeff Walz told NewsNation. "I used Facebook, which wasn't the right platform to do that for."
Despite the backlash, Jeff has not walked back his criticism of his brother's political stance. He expressed disappointment over their growing distance, lamenting that the relationship has become strained over the years. "It's too bad," he remarked, while also hoping they might "disagree and still be civil brothers" in the future.
This rift is not just a private matter; it has become fodder for political discourse. A photo surfaced this week showing seven of Tim Walz's extended family members wearing "Walz's for Trump" T-shirts, further highlighting the familial division. The image, posted on social media by a family friend, quickly went viral, drawing attention from figures like former Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster and even Donald Trump himself, who shared the photo on his Truth Social platform, expressing gratitude for the endorsement.
Darlene Walz, however, downplayed the significance of the photo, clarifying that those pictured were "mostly second cousins" from Nebraska, where the Walz family has deep roots. Darlene, who remains a loyal Democrat, continues to support her son's political career and was present when Tim Walz accepted his party's nomination for vice president at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last month. "Oh man, that was a blast," she recalled. "It was wonderful."
