Minnesota Governor Tim Walz delivered a forceful critique of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, calling him a “tyrant” and accusing him of eroding the rule of law and violating Americans’ rights.
Speaking at the University of Minnesota’s law school commencement ceremony, Walz warned graduating students that they were entering the legal profession at a time of what he described as a “genuine emergency.” The crowd responded with loud applause as Walz urged the new lawyers to confront what he views as unprecedented abuses of power.
“Right now, more than any other time in my lifetime, we need you to live up to the oath that you’re about to make,” Walz told the graduates. “Every single day, the president of the United States finds new ways to trample rights and undermine the rule of law.”
Walz, who was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2024, used his remarks to highlight what he sees as dangerous trends under Trump’s renewed presidency. He cited examples including the deportation of alleged gang members to a notorious El Salvadoran prison without due process and the recent offer of a luxury jet to Trump by Qatar’s ruling family.
“This is what the crumbling of rule of law looks like in real time,” Walz said. “And it’s exactly what the founders of this nation feared: A tyrant, abusing power to persecute scapegoats and enemies.”
His comments come as Democrats continue to grapple with the direction of the party following Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss to Trump in the 2024 election. Frustrations have been growing within the party, particularly among voters who feel leadership has not done enough to push back against Trump’s second term.
Several prominent Democrats have already begun making appearances in key early primary states, signaling potential 2028 presidential ambitions. Walz is among them, joining others like Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who recently criticized Democratic leaders as ineffective, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who returned to Iowa this past week with a call for the party to reconnect with disillusioned voters.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been building a media presence through a new podcast, while Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continue to draw large crowds at rallies. Walz, along with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, is scheduled to campaign in South Carolina later this month.
Acknowledging the political tone of his speech, Walz pushed back on the idea that his remarks were inappropriate for a commencement ceremony.
“Some would say, ‘Boy, this is getting way too political for a commencement address.’ But I would argue: I wouldn’t be honoring my oath if I didn’t address this head on,” Walz said, drawing more cheers from the audience.
He also criticized large law firms that have supported Trump or declined to speak out against his policies. Some of these firms, Walz noted, have offered Trump millions of dollars in pro bono services, which he called a betrayal of their professional duties.
“It’s a flagrant betrayal of the oath they took as lawyers,” he said, urging the graduating class to steer clear of firms that have, in his view, failed to stand up for legal principles.
In response to Walz’s speech, the White House reignited criticism of his leadership during the 2020 protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer. White House spokesman Harrison Fields also pointed to Walz’s place on the losing Democratic ticket in 2024, calling the Harris-Walz administration “one of the most chaotic in American history.”
Despite the pushback, Walz’s speech marks a continued trend among Democrats aiming to elevate concerns about the rule of law under Trump’s leadership and to rally support ahead of the next election cycle.
