On Thursday morning, former President Trump sharply criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), referring to him as a “lightweight” following Walz’s impassioned acceptance speech as the Democratic vice presidential nominee the previous night.
Trump appeared on “Fox & Friends,” where the hosts aired a clip of Walz linking him to Project 2025, a conservative policy framework developed by the Heritage Foundation for a potential GOP administration.
In response, Trump disparaged Walz, questioning his competence and dismissing his past as a football coach. “He’s a total lightweight and should not even be considered for a presidential role,” Trump remarked. “He has no real capability. They call him ‘coach,’ but he was just a semi-coach who only briefly coached some football. This guy is a lightweight.”
Trump calls Walz’s association of him with Project 2025 “disgraceful” and mocks his past as a coach
Trump condemned Walz’s attempt to associate him with Project 2025, calling it “disgraceful.” He reiterated his ignorance about the project, saying, “I had no idea what it was. A group of people came together and developed some conservative values, but I don’t know much about Project 2025.”
Walz’s keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago highlighted his background as a teacher and high school football coach. During his speech, Walz criticized Republicans for their denials about Project 2025, asserting, “When someone creates a playbook, you can bet they intend to use it.”
The Democrats have been emphasizing Project 2025 throughout their convention, detailing its conservative stances on various issues such as abortion, immigration, climate policy, taxation, and government regulation. Despite Trump’s repeated claims of unfamiliarity with Project 2025, CNN reported last month that at least 140 individuals who served in the Trump administration were involved with the project in some capacity. Trump and his campaign have attempted to distance themselves from the initiative, with one of his top advisers calling it a “pain in the ass.”
