Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, has come under scrutiny for his praise of Asad Zaman, a Muslim leader who has promoted controversial views, including support for Hitler and the celebration of terrorist attacks. In a 2018 video uncovered by the Washington Examiner, Walz, while campaigning for governor, referred to Zaman as a “master teacher” and expressed his admiration for the lessons he had learned from him during their time together.
Walz remarked, “I am a teacher, so when I see a master teacher, I know it,” and spoke about the insights he had gained from Zaman. He mentioned that Zaman had taught him that Congress “feeds on fear more than hope” and highlighted his own efforts to combat the demonization of Islam and immigrants, praising Zaman for his stance against Islamophobia.
Asad Zaman, who serves as the director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, made headlines on October 7 last year for expressing solidarity with Palestinians against Israeli actions after a deadly Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Jews. Zaman’s social media activity also includes sharing a link to a pro-Hitler film titled “The Greatest Story Never Told.”
During Walz’s tenure as governor, Zaman’s organization has received over $100,000 in funding from the Minnesota state government. Despite the controversy, spokespeople for both Tim Walz and his campaign have stated that Walz does not have a “personal relationship” with Zaman. Requests for further comment from Walz’s office and the Harris campaign were not answered by the time of publication.