Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s daughter acknowledged there is ‘enough truth’ behind the alleged billion-dollar fraud scandal rocking the North Star State — while candidly addressing her father’s sudden decision to abandon his bid for a third term.
Hope Walz appeared on One Hour Detours with host John O’Sullivan just hours after her father announced he was stepping aside from the 2026 governor’s race — a move she suggested was meant "to kind of get that target off of Minnesota."
“I think there was enough truth to the fraud claim,” the 25-year-old said.
Hope Walz popped up on the One Hour Detours podcast with host John O’Sullivan just hours after her father stunned supporters by announcing he would not seek re-election. One Hour Detours and John O'Sullivan / YouTube
She went on to complain that President Trump and his supporters had seized on the controversy, twisting and magnifying the scandal tied to Minnesota’s expansive social safety net.
While estimates differ, investigators believe at least $1 billion was stolen — and that figure could soar far higher. Late last year, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson warned the fraud may total $9 billion or more.
The fraud was especially widespread within parts of Minnesota’s Somali community, where individuals allegedly created sham nonprofits to siphon state funds intended for services for the homeless, the hungry, and families seeking child care.
Hope said her father became the main target of the backlash because of his national profile — pressure she suggested ultimately pushed him to step aside from the race.
“I think he was popular during the campaign last fall, and he’s still in office, and he’s running again — and so it’s just kind of an easy thing for them [Republicans] to pick up on,” she told the podcast.
The 25-year-old said her father began rethinking another run as events 'with things rapidly changing within the last month.' GovTimWalz/Facebook
“I think it’s because he’s everything Trump will never be,” she insisted.
Hope said her father began rethinking another run as things shifted rapidly over the past month — ultimately reaching his decision during the holiday season.
“I don’t want to speak for him, but I think when things started getting really intense for me like on my social media and then people even saying things like to [her brother] Gus and stuff, I think that’s when he was really like, ‘Okay, like, I need to evaluate what’s best for the state and then I need to evaluate what’s best for my family,’” she recalled.
“And then, I think it was just kind of a natural conclusion.”
Walz shares a celebratory moment with his daughter, Hope, after accepting the Democratic vice presidential nomination on stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at Chicago’s United Center on August 21, 2024. Getty Images
Hope’s interview comes after she accused critics of targeting her younger brother, Gus, with insults in the wake of Trump’s attacks on their father.
“I’m talking about this because while my family and I are always gonna be the bigger people, the president calling my dad what he did has unleashed a f–king s–tstorm regarding offensive language towards me and my family and specifically my brother,” she raged in a now-deleted TikTok video.
Gus and Gwen Walz react on stage during the Democratic National Convention at Chicago’s United Center. AP
“You can call me whatever you want, you can call my dad, my mom, when it’s Gus, f–k to the no. He dealt with people calling him that last August, and now there’s a resurgence? No.”
Trump slammed the Minnesota governor as "seriously incompetent," accusing him in a Thanksgiving message of allowing tens of thousands of Somali immigrants to take over what he called his "once-great state."
Scrutiny of former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate has intensified in recent weeks after conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley went viral with a video revealing empty, taxpayer-funded day care centers.
Independent journalist Nick Shirley released a viral video highlighting largely empty, taxpayer-funded day care centers. X / Nick Shirley
More than 90 people now face fraud charges, prosecutors reveal in a sweeping crackdown.
Until Monday’s announcement, Walz had been widely regarded as the front-runner heading into November’s election.
Democrats have dominated Minnesota’s statewide elections for nearly two decades, holding steady since 2006.
