As the US election nears, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz faces controversy surrounding an alleged romantic relationship with Jenna Wang, the daughter of a senior Chinese Communist Party official. According to recent reports, Walz, then a high school English teacher in China through the nonprofit WorldTeach in the late 1980s, was involved with Wang, who claims their relationship left her deeply affected.
In an interview, Wang recounted the relationship, which reportedly began in Foshan, Guangdong Province, and ended in heartbreak. She accuses Walz of misleading her about their future, suggesting that he implied marriage was on the horizon. The claims have emerged just a week before Election Day, intensifying scrutiny on Walz and potentially impacting the Democratic campaign.
Wang, now 59, stated that Walz’s actions during their relationship led her to despair, describing the former connection as one in which she was “used.” In a letter to American voters, she expressed that Walz displayed a lack of character, further alleging that his promises did not align with his actions. Wang’s open letter criticizes Walz as “the type of man against whom a mother warns her daughter.”
During a recent debate, Walz admitted he had “misspoken” about a claim from a 2014 Congressional hearing in which he said he was present in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square protests. Recent reports from the Washington Free Beacon, however, indicate Walz was actually in Nebraska at that time. Wang pointed to this incident as indicative of what she calls his “lack of integrity.”
Wang also described feeling “insulted” when Walz allegedly accused her of using him to obtain a US visa, a claim she denies, stating she would have willingly left China to be with him. Despite their relationship ending, Wang says the impact on her was profound, leading her to speak out about Walz’s character as the election approaches. Walz eventually married Gwen Whipple in 1994.
Wang’s comments cast a shadow over the Democratic campaign, potentially raising questions among voters. She believes the election is a critical moment and argues that Walz lacks the integrity for the office. As the November election draws closer, these revelations have added a new dimension to an already heated political landscape.
