Governor Walz commented on Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s claims of hesitation to send in the National Guard to Minneapolis on May 27 with the following statement, “I don’t think the mayor knew what he was asking for…I think the mayor said, ‘I request the National Guard, whew, this is great. We’re going to have massively trained troops.’ No. You’re going to have 19 year olds who are cooks in some cases.”

 

Senator Andrew Mathews (R-Princeton) issued a reply: 

 

“The troops Governor Walz calls “19 year old cooks” walked into a chaotic situation on the evening of May 30th, put themselves at risk, and successfully quelled the violence after four days of rioting.

 

“It is outrageous that men and women dedicated to top-tier training and protection of our nation are subjected to belittling comments from our governor. We all know people who have been deployed: sons, daughters, parents, siblings, and friends. The Guard has been deployed around the world, are known for their skill and training, and are sworn to protect our country and our freedoms.

 

“Minnesotans know that the governor’s response to the Minneapolis riots was an abject failure, by every objective measurement.  Instead of accepting responsibility, Gov. Walz is trying to blame the mayor, the Guard, and anyone but himself.  His insulting comments about our troops are uncalled for, outright wrong, and deserving of an apology to every Guard member in this state.”