FACT CHECK: Did Tim Walz’s Daughter Receive $82,000 In Student Loan Forgiveness?
An image shared on Facebook claims 2024 Democratic Vice Presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s daughter Hope received $82,000 in student loan forgiveness.
Verdict: False
The claim is false. A similar iteration of the claim was shared by America’s Last Line of Defense, a website that is known for posting satirical and parody content, via Facebook on August 11.
Fact Check:
Hope Walz is helping her dad, Gov. Tim Walz, appeal to Gen Z voters, according to the Daily Beast. The younger Walz has starred in multiple online videos, including a PSA about hands-free driving, with her dad, the outlet reported.
The Facebook image, which has garnered over 700 likes as of writing, claims Walz’s daughter received $82,000 in student loan forgiveness. “Hope Walz Received $82K in Student Loan Forgiveness – Her Parents Are Worth $138 Million,” a text caption on the image reads.
The claim is false. A small label on the bottom left corner of the image indicates it is satire. The label also bears the acronym, “ALLOD,” which stands for America’s Last Line of Defense, a website that is known for posting satirical and parody content for entertainment purposes. A similar iteration of the image was originally shared to the America’s Last Line of Defense Facebook page on August 11.
Likewise, the claim neither appears on the Democratic Governor’s website nor his verified social media accounts. Check Your Fact also did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. Actually, the opposite is true. Snopes, The Dispatch, and Lead Stories all debunked the claim.
Similarly, Check Your Fact looked into the claim that Walz and his wife, Gwen are worth $138 million. That claim also appears to be false based on an August 2024 article from Forbes that estimates the Democratic Governor’s net worth to be “just over $1 million.”
According to Minneapolis-based newspaper the Star Tribune, Hope Walz graduated from Montana State University in 2023 and is a social worker. She is the oldest of Walz’s two children, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Did Navy JAG Indict Tim Walz?)
Check Your Fact has contacted Walz’s office for comment.
