Milwaukee Radio Host Back on Air After Controversial Tim Walz Post

Dan O'Donnell returned to his 3 p.m. program on WISN-AM after a week-long suspension.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Conservative radio host Dan O'Donnell was off the air in Milwaukee for a week following social media posts he made about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. O'Donnell had called for someone to "take out" the governor and posted an AI-generated image of Walz wearing a turban with the phrase "Death to fraud investigations!" He later deleted the tweets and issued an apology.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between conservative media figures and Democratic politicians, as well as the challenges around balancing free speech and responsible broadcasting, especially when it comes to calls for violence, even if intended as hyperbole.

The details

Following news that the U.S. military had killed the leader of Iran on Feb. 28, O'Donnell posted on March 1, "Now take out the Supreme Leader of Minnesota. We will be greeted as liberators." He then replied to the tweet with an AI-generated image of Walz wearing a black turban with the phrase "Death to fraud investigations!" in quotes. Minnesota is in the midst of a crackdown on potential social services fraud, and Walz had announced he would not seek reelection as governor.

  • On March 1, O'Donnell made the controversial posts about Gov. Walz.
  • On March 3, O'Donnell deleted the tweets and posted an apology.
  • On March 9, O'Donnell returned to hosting his 3 p.m. program on WISN-AM.

The players

Dan O'Donnell

A conservative radio host in Milwaukee who was suspended for a week following his controversial social media posts about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Tim Walz

The Democratic governor of Minnesota who was the target of O'Donnell's social media posts, which included a call to "take out" the governor and an AI-generated image depicting him in a turban.

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What they’re saying

“I want to take a moment to offer my sincerest apologies for a post I made about Minnesota's Governor that, quite frankly, I am deeply ashamed of. It was irresponsible and completely inappropriate and I have since taken it down. It served only to deepen divisions at a time when unity and basic human decency are most needed.”

— Dan O'Donnell, Radio Host (Social Media)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges around balancing free speech and responsible broadcasting, especially when it comes to comments that could be interpreted as calls for violence, even if intended as hyperbole. It also underscores the deep political divisions in the country and the need for more civil discourse, even among media figures with strong partisan leanings.