Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unloaded on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over the weekend, accusing the Democrat of ducking accountability and branding him a “coward” amid a sprawling fraud scandal tied to state government oversight.
Bessent made the remarks during an interview with Christopher Rufo of TheBlaze on Saturday. Rufo explained that the interview had originally been planned to take place inside the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, before pointedly asking why that plan fell apart.
That question triggered a blunt response from the Treasury secretary.
“For one reason, Chris: Tim Walz is a coward! Is. A. Coward,” Bessent said, jabbing the air with his finger for emphasis. He accused the governor of refusing to guarantee police protection for a sitting Cabinet secretary inside the state capitol.
“He would not guarantee that the Treasury Secretary of the United States of America would have police protection in the Minnesota State Capitol,” Bessent said. “He is afraid of what is coming.”
Bessent said he would welcome the opportunity for Walz to travel to Washington, D.C., to answer questions about what he described as a $9 billion, “industrial-scale” fraud scandal that has engulfed Minnesota state government. But he made clear he does not expect that to happen.
“He’s not gonna be able to hide behind his curtain, because we will get there,” Bessent said. “And I don’t have to go into the Capitol Building to investigate him.”
The sharp rebuke came just days after Walz announced he would not seek re-election and was dropping out of the gubernatorial race. According to Axios, Walz’s exit followed mounting pressure from fellow Democrats and sagging approval ratings, as scrutiny intensified over the state’s handling of massive fraud tied to taxpayer-funded programs.
That scrutiny accelerated after reporting by pro-MAGA independent journalist Nick Shirley, whose viral investigation raised questions about the legitimacy of several Somali-run operations that had received millions in public funds.
One of Shirley’s most striking examples involved a Minneapolis daycare called Quality Learning Center. Shirley reported that the facility received $1.9 million in taxpayer funding in 2025 but appeared to be completely empty when he visited. The sign outside the building misspelled the name as “Quality Learing Center,” further fueling questions about oversight and accountability. The daycare closed last week.
Shirley’s reporting poured gasoline on an already growing controversy surrounding Walz’s administration and the state’s apparent failure to catch or stop widespread fraud. Bessent argued that efforts to downplay or suppress the story only backfired.
According to Bessent, Walz’s handling of the situation has only deepened public suspicion and reinforced perceptions that state leaders were unwilling or unable to confront corruption head-on.
Bessent also took aim at the media, saying the scandal has exposed what he described as a breakdown in mainstream journalism.
“We really don’t have a functioning mainstream media,” Bessent said, lamenting that it fell to an independent journalist to document what he views as one of the most significant fraud scandals in the country.
As federal scrutiny continues and Walz exits the political stage, Bessent made clear that the Treasury Department is not backing down. His message was blunt: the fraud investigation will continue, with or without the governor’s cooperation, and those responsible will not be shielded by politics or silence.
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