Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) erupted on Thanksgiving, firing back at President Donald Trump after the president mentioned him in a holiday post that immediately grabbed national attention.
Walz jumped onto X and demanded the White House “release the MRI results,” referring to Trump’s recent medical scan at Walter Reed. The president confirmed last month that he received an MRI, but official results have not been made public — something Democrats are now trying to weaponize.
President Trump responded with a forceful message on Truth Social, blasting Walz for what he called a total failure to protect Minnesota families from the growing criminal activity tied to Somali migrant networks. Trump said the Democrat governor “does nothing” as violent gangs intimidate communities, adding that Walz’s inaction is driven by “fear, incompetence, or both.”
According to Trump, “Hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota. Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for ‘prey,’ while hardworking Americans stay locked in their apartments praying to be left alone.”
Minnesota now holds the largest Somali population in the United States, with roughly 107,000 residents as of 2024, based on U.S. Census Bureau data. Many longtime residents — especially seniors — say their neighborhoods have changed dramatically and that Democrat leadership refuses to confront the problem.
Last week, President Trump took decisive action by ending special legal protections for Somali nationals living in Minnesota “effective immediately,” citing growing public safety concerns. Congress reported earlier this year that 705 Somalis nationwide had temporary protected status — a number far smaller than the broader wave of migrants who arrived over the past decade.
The administration is also reviewing green cards issued to migrants from Somalia and 18 other countries after the suspected shooter who ambushed two National Guard members was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the country in 2021.
The attack turned tragic when one of the targeted soldiers, 20-year-old Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, died on Thursday. The second victim, U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition as the nation prays for his recovery.
As the fallout grows, tensions between the Trump administration and Democrat governors are only escalating — and Minnesota has now become a flashpoint in America’s ongoing debate over migrant crime, national security, and leadership that puts citizens first.