In a powerful Labor Day speech, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz electrified a crowd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a scathing critique of former President Donald Trump and his policies. Walz, known for his direct and impassioned style, did not hold back as he addressed the crowd, highlighting the stark contrast between Trump’s rhetoric and the needs of everyday Americans.

Walz began by recalling a telling moment from Trump’s presidency. “He’s sitting down at Mar-a-Lago after he got elected president, and this was his exact quote:

‘You’re rich as hell, and we’re going to give you a tax cut,'” Walz recounted. The governor used this anecdote to illustrate Trump’s priorities, suggesting that while Trump was focused on benefiting the wealthy, he was simultaneously dismissive of workers, telling them “they get paid too much already.”

In a state like Wisconsin, where working-class values run deep, Walz’s message resonated. “Who in Wisconsin is sitting around saying, ‘Damn, I wish they’d give billionaires tax cuts and screw me over’?” he asked rhetorically, drawing applause from the crowd. He continued to emphasize that the average American is not asking for policies that make life harder, but rather for fairness and dignity.

Walz then pivoted to criticize Trump’s fear-based politics, drawing from his own experience as a school lunchroom supervisor. “Fear is a good short-term motivator, but it doesn’t inspire people; it doesn’t change their behaviors,” Walz said. He likened Trump’s fearmongering to school bullies, stating, “The bullies who want to instill fear, they’re the first ones to find out what happens when the tide turns. He’s running scared now.”

The governor also took aim at the MAGA Republicans’ notion of “small government,” arguing that their version of small government is invasive.

“When they talk about small government, they mean small enough to go into your libraries, your exam rooms, your bedroom,” Walz asserted, decrying the GOP’s attempts to control personal freedoms while claiming to champion liberty.

In a more personal moment, Walz shared how the Wall Street Journal labeled him as the poorest individual to ever run for vice president, a title he wore with pride. “They said I had a defined benefit pension plan, like it’s an evil thing,” he noted, adding, “That is my wish for every American—to have a defined benefit pension plan.”

On the topic of workers’ rights, Walz didn’t mince words, accusing Trump of waging war on the middle class. “As president, Trump blocked overtime for millions of workers. He knows how to take advantage of working people, and that’s what he does,” Walz stated, reinforcing his message that Trump’s policies are fundamentally at odds with the interests of American workers.

In his closing remarks, Walz urged the people of Wisconsin to consider who they want leading the country: someone like Vice President Kamala Harris, who has spent decades fighting for justice, or Trump, who “runs to the cameras to whine about how unfairly he’s being treated.”

Walz’s speech on Labor Day was a rallying cry for unity and a call to action, reminding voters of the importance of leadership that lifts people up rather than tearing them down. His message was clear: the fight for the future of America is on, and it’s a fight for fairness, dignity, and the promise of a better tomorrow.