DHS alleged to be covering up information about Walz-Chinese Communist Party ties

The House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for records related to alleged ties between Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz and China, following revelations from whistleblowers that DHS possesses relevant information on this matter.

Disclosures from an internal chat room

In a letter to Mayorkas, Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer noted that whistleblowers reported the existence of a group chat in Microsoft Teams, where DHS employees discussed Walz's "longstanding connection" with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. This information is considered relevant to an ongoing Committee investigation focused on CCP efforts to influence U.S. officials at the state and local level.

According to Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, the panel received information from whistleblowers about this unclassified chat, as well as about the existence of intelligence reports containing additional details about Walz's alleged relationships with the CCP. Comer also noted that there are classified and unclassified documents under DHS control that could be key to the investigation.

Records request

The committee requested that DHS turn over all records linked to this chat since July 1, along with any intelligence reports that would help shed light on Walz's relationship with China. Comer stressed that the investigation into CCP influence had begun before Walz was selected as vice presidential candidate, and recalled that what is sought, is to identify weaknesses in the defense against CCP attempts to influence key U.S. figures.

Historical ties with China

Walz, who speaks Mandarin, has maintained a long-standing relationship with China since he first visited the country in 1989 as a history and English instructor. He and his wife subsequently co-founded a tourism company in China in the 1990s and has traveled to the Asian country on multiple occasions. In addition, Walz has on several occasions expressed his admiration for aspects of the Chinese communist system, which has generated criticism within political quarters in the United States.

Security concerns

Amid growing concerns about foreign election interference, Jim Banks, a member of the Armed Services Committee, requested information from the Pentagon about Walz's trips to China, some of which occurred while he was in the military between 1989 and 2005.

Banks, who is also a Naval Reserve officer, expressed concern about the potential risk posed by these trips, noting that any interaction with an adversary nation could compromise national security. In a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Banks stressed the need to investigate whether Walz properly reported his travels and possible suspicious interactions with Chinese officials.

Adding to those concerns are comments from Brian J. Cavanaugh, former director of the White House National Security Council under the Trump administration, who said the security risks could be significant if Walz failed to comply with travel reporting protocols.