During a rally in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz stirred controversy and social media ridicule with his statement, “We can’t afford four more years of this.” Walz, who is running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, was addressing supporters when his remarks led to unexpected reactions online.
While discussing gun violence, Walz was briefly distracted by an audience member who appeared to need water. He paused his speech to check on the rallygoer, saying, “Things like we did in Minnesota, to have enhanced background checks and red flag laws, to get guns out of there, to make a difference. And I still got my guns to shoot pheasants in a couple of weeks….We need some water. Can we get [a] check on him?”
After a brief interruption lasting about two minutes, Walz redirected the focus back to the campaign, launching into criticism of former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.
“I’ll bring her home here quick, folks: Look, Kamala Harris made it clear these guys want to instil fear,” Walz said. “They want to tell you that [you should] just get over it; it’s a fact of life. This is the way it is.”
Tim Walz:
"We can't afford four more years of this."
Amen. pic.twitter.com/ZrmNZo2HsL
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) September 21, 2024
Walz continued, emphasising Harris’s stance, saying, “[Harris] simply has said it doesn’t have to be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can’t afford four more years of this.”
He then shifted his speech to discuss Project 2025, a controversial initiative from which the Trump campaign has publicly distanced itself. Walz’s ambiguous statement regarding “four more years” led to confusion and backlash from conservative commentators, who interpreted his remarks as a criticism of the current administration rather than Trump.
Social media quickly erupted with reactions. Commentator Rita Panahi mocked Walz on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Dude is campaigning for Trump now?” Donald Trump Jr. joined in, jokingly responding, “I’m with Him/Tim.”
Adding to the online criticism, the Trump War Room, an account affiliated with Trump’s presidential campaign, seized the gaffe, posting, “WALZ FINALLY TELLS THE TRUTH: ‘We can’t afford four more years’ of Kamala Harris.”
Walz’s offhand comment has since sparked widespread debate. Opponents have used the incident to question his campaign messaging, while supporters argue that his intent was to criticise the broader political climate fostered by Trump and his allies.
