Name: Walz slams Trumps use of slur on Minnesotas Somali community
Uploaded: 2025-12-02T00:07:19.023Z
Duration: 4 min 2 s
Description: President Trump recently used a slur for people with intellectual disabilities to describe Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. CBS News Minnesota reporter and anchor Esme Murphy joins to discuss.

President Trump recently used a slur for people with intellectual disabilities to describe Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. CBS News Minnesota reporter and anchor Esme Murphy joins to discuss.

Washington

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz responded to former President Donald Trump's use of a slur and comments about the state's Somali community, calling the language hateful and a distraction from policy issues. Walz emphasized the need to reject the normalization of such rhetoric, especially as Minnesota faces concerns over rising costs and assistance program cuts.

CBS News Minnesota reporter Esme Murphy provided context on ongoing federal investigations into COVID aid fraud involving members of the Somali community, noting over 70 indictments and significant financial losses. Murphy refuted Trump's claims of widespread street crime by Somali gangs, explaining that while the fraud is a serious issue, there is no evidence to support the narrative of public fear or rampant gang activity.

Walz slams Trump's use of slur on Minnesota's Somali community

Welcome back to Takeout. President Trump recently used a long discarded slur for people with intellectual disabilities to describe Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz. The governor responded in a recent interview with NBC. He's normalized this type of hateful behavior and this type of language and mainly look at first I think it's just because he's a not a good human being but secondly to distract from his incompetency. We know we just came through a Thanksgiving where prices are up. We know people are concerned about heating their homes as we're experiencing blizzards out here at the same time he's cutting those programs. So look we cannot allow this to be normalized. CBS News Minnesota reporter and anchor Esme Murphy joins me now to discuss. Esme it's great to have you with us. So not to contextualize that slur because there is no context for it but the backdrop for this is a long-running investigation and set of prosecutions in Minnesota. Some members of the Somali community defrauding the state during COVID and years after in various social services. That is sort of one part of this conversation. Take it from there. Yes. Well the Somali community has been the focus of these federal investigations into fraudulent applications for COVID aid and also post COVID aid. The scope of this is enormous. We're talking about more than 70 people indicted a well over 60 have pled guilty already and this is just in the COVID scheme. The scheme itself was focused on food for children who are not going to school because of the pandemic and needed food and sustenance during the day. Since then post COVID we've had the same type of allegations focused on autism programs and also housing programs. The scope alone of the feeding our future COVID fraud is estimated at 240 million dollars and a lot of people say the real price is far north from there. I want to read to you something that the president posted on his social media platform. Quote Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for prey as our wonderful people stay locked in their apartments and houses hoping against hope they will be left alone the seriously are did. Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz does nothing. Are gangs roving the streets looking for prey in Minnesota? No absolutely not and I know you've been here major that that's just not the case. I do think though that this fraud is of the scope and scale that it is very significant and a lot of people candidates running against Governor Walz for governor in the 2026 election are using it and focusing on it. It is a big deal it's a lot of money and there's no end in sight that's one of the biggest problems and it all has happened on Governor Tim Walz watch. However there are not gangs of Somalis roving the streets and people are not behind locked doors scared to go out that's just not the case. And very quickly Esme in some of the reporting I have read it was suggested that state officials were reluctant to more seriously investigate this earlier because they were afraid of being accused of having a racial bias or a hostility to the Somali immigrants. I think that's absolutely true in fact when the state did try and stop this and filed a suit in 2022 they the suit was actually dismissed and they were targeted for and accused of racism so that is a fairly accurate statement. I think that people in charge of the state including Governor Tim Walz did not want to be portrayed that way and when they finally did try and stop it with a lawsuit the state was labeled a racist so that that's fair. Esme Murphy WCCO I appreciate time thank you so much.

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