Rumors are swirling about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s political future amid widespread allegations of fraud in the state and repeated attacks from President Donald Trump, according to local news outlets.
Walz scheduled a news conference for Monday morning without any agenda, fueling speculation that he may be dropping his 2026 re-election bid, Minnesota Public Radio reported.
One political insider predicted Walz would likely remove himself from the race, according to Fox News 9 Minneapolis, which added that the Democratic governor met with Senator Amy Klobuchar over the weekend to talk over the decision.
A spokesperson for Walz’s re-election campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
In recent weeks, the governor has faced mounting controversy over his response to allegations of fraud within the state’s social services programs.
Federal prosecutors announced this month that they are investigating “suspicious billing practices” in over a dozen Medicaid-funded programs, with early assessments indicating that more than $9 billion in taxpayer dollars meant to help low-income families may have been stolen, according to The New York Times. Already, about 60 people have been convicted in connection to the investigation.
The federal investigation began in 2022, when dozens of individuals were charged with stealing funds intended to feed children during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But, the case faced renewed scrutiny, particularly from Republicans, after a conservative activist posted a video in December reporting to uncover widespread fraud in day care facilities run by Somali immigrants.
Last week, Walz praised the latest federal charges, stating that The Gopher State is overhauling its social services system.
Trump has recently attacked Walz for his handling of the investigation, describing him in a New Year’s Eve Truth Social post as “a Crooked Governor.” His administration also paused federal child care funds to the state.
“We’ve spent years cracking down on fraudsters,” Walz wrote in December on X in response to the administration’s slashing of funds. “It’s a serious issue – but this has been his plan all along. He’s politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans.”
The Republican president, who has frequently taken aim at the state’s Somali immigrant community, also reposted baseless conspiracy theories about Walz, including one claiming he had state Rep. Melissa Hortman killed.
“Dangerous, depraved behavior from the sitting president of the United States,” Walz wrote January 3 on X. “In covering for an actual serial killer, he is going to get more innocent people killed. America is better than this.”
Walz, a former high school teacher who was first elected governor in 2018, rose to nationwide prominence after he was tapped to serve as former vice president Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024.
Walz announced his reelection bid in September, following Trump’s victory in the 2024 race.
The race for the governor’s mansion has drawn a crowded slate of candidates, including Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder and loyal Trump ally.
