New reports have emerged challenging Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s claims regarding his travel to China, particularly during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. As the Democratic vice presidential nominee prepares for a debate, these inconsistencies have drawn scrutiny, especially from Republican allies of Ohio Senator JD Vance, who may use this information to question Walz’s credibility.

Walz previously stated he was in Hong Kong in May 1989, just before the protests escalated, recalling that he had planned to teach in China during that time. However, contemporaneous newspaper articles suggest he was actually in Nebraska, preparing for a job with the National Guard, rather than traveling to China as he claimed.

In addition, Walz has made varying claims about the number of trips he has taken to China—initially saying around 30 but later clarified to approximately 15. These contradictions come as Republicans are ramping up their criticism of Walz’s ties to China, with some alleging connections to the Chinese Communist Party.

The situation adds to a pattern of Walz’s past statements being scrutinized since he joined the Harris campaign. As he navigates these revelations, Republican strategists have indicated they plan to leverage this information in upcoming debates and political discussions.