Sean Hannity talking next to a graphic that reads "Tim's ladder factory"

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Tim Walz pointed out that walls are often an ineffective way to provide border security. Flailing MAGA media are taking him out of context.

Conservative media are continuing their floundering, desperate attempts to smear Walz after he was named as the Democratic vice presidential nominee

Written by Gideon Taaffe

Published

Right-wing media figures responded to Vice President Kamala Harris choosing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate by lobbing smears in a desperate attempt to define Walz’s candidacy. They are now taking Walz’s critique of the GOP-backed wall on the U.S. southern border and twisting his words to falsely claim he would hand ladders to migrants so they could climb over the wall.

  • Walz criticized Donald Trump’s border wall as ineffective at curbing illegal migration

    • Former President Donald Trump greatly expanded the border wall along the U.S. southern border, but there has been little evidence that it has reduced illegal border crossings. As the libertarian think tank CATO Institute points out, “The Trump border wall failed for all the predictable reasons. Immigrants used cheap ladders to climb over it, or they free climb it. They used cheap power tools to cut through it. They cut through small pieces and squeezed through, and they cut through big sections and drove through.” [CATO Institute, 2/10/22]
    • During an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Walz joked about the ineffectiveness of a border wall, saying, “I always say, let me know how high it is. If it's 25 feet, then I'll invest in the 30-foot ladder factory. That's not how you stop this.” Walz added that he supported more use of “electronics,” “border control agents,” and reform of the legal immigration system. He did not argue that the government should give migrants ladders to scale the wall. [CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, 7/30/24]

  • Right-wing media attacked Walz for his “30-foot ladder factory” comment

    • Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt claimed while attacking Walz that “when it comes to illegal immigration,” Democrats want to “give them ladders so that they can get over the walls.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 8/7/24]
    • Fox News host Sean Hannity said Walz “mocked border security,” saying, “He wanted to invest in a ladder factory to help thwart Donald Trump's border wall.” Hannity played the clip of Walz and said, “Yeah, let’s give a ladder to people with terror ties, the drug cartels, and criminals.” [Fox News, Hannity, 8/6/24]
    • Failed GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy claimed on Fox News that Walz “wants to build a ladder over the border wall.” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 8/6/24]
    • Outnumbered co-host Kayleigh McEnany said, “He also supported open borders,” before playing a clip of Walz’s ladder comment removed from context. [Fox News, Outnumbered, 8/6/24]
    • Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade paraphrased Walz’s remarks, suggesting Walz said that “if you are going to build a wall, I’m going to build a higher ladder. I'm going to give that to you.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 8/7/24]
    • The Murdoch-owned New York Post published an article with the headline: “Tim Walz previews Trump border wall attack: ‘I’ll invest in the 30-foot-ladder factory.’” The piece itself noted that Walz was joking and included the full quote. [The New York Post, 8/6/24]
    • The Washington Examiner claimed Walz “wants to 'invest' in a 'ladder factory' to assist illegal immigrants climb border wall.” [Twitter/X, 8/2/24]
    • Popular right-wing social media account End Wokeness: “Governor Tim Walz wants to invest in a ladder company to help illegals cross." The account added, “He would be a perfect VP for Kamala.” [Twitter/X, 8/5/24]
    • Right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson: “Radical Tim Walz wants a ‘ladder factory’ to help illegals get easy access into America.” He added, “As if enough Americans have not suffered enough.” [Twitter/X, 8/6/24]
    • Popular right-wing social media account Election Wizard: “FLASHBACK: Kamala’s VP pick, Tim Walz, says he should invest in a ‘ladder factory’ to help illegal aliens climb the border wall.” [Twitter/X, 8/6/24]