Tim Walz's “knucklehead” comment during the VP debate sparks a viral meme-fest across the internet

Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz made headlines during the vice presidential debate on October 1, 2024, after he referred to himself as a “knucklehead” in response to a question about his previous statements about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Walz, who was debating Republican candidate JD Vance, admitted that he had “misspoken” when he previously claimed to have been in Hong Kong during the massacre, stating: “I got there this summer and have spelled wrong.” His candid response sparked a viral reaction online, with social media users creating memes and derisively calling him “Knucklehead Walz.”

According to a CNN report, Walz's comments came during an already contentious debate in which he reportedly felt pressure. His gaffe came after recent news reports from the Washington Free Beacon suggested that he was in the United States at the time of the 1989 events, and not in Hong Kong as he had previously claimed. This led to strong online reactions, with The Daily Wire commenting: “We are all very aware, Tim.”

In addition to his “knucklehead” comment, Walz caused further amusement online with another faux pas during the debate when he said, “I've become friends with school shooters.” Former journalist Andrew Tavani picked up the remarks on X (formerly Twitter) “Walz is giving the Trump campaign final push advertising material with the Knucklehead remark.”

The vice presidential debate, likely the only one of the 2024 election season, generated significant discussion, with many viewers focusing on the humorous moments.