In a surprising turn of events, Jeff Walz, brother of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has made an effort to temper the wild attack he launched against the Democratic vice presidential pick on Facebook. However, he made it clear that he does not support his brother's political ideology.

The 67-year-old grandfather, who resides in Florida, had initially excited Trump supporters when private messages surfaced that seemed to criticize his brother's fitness for office. Some even speculated that Jeff could endorse the Republican candidate. In these messages, he referred to his brother as "not the type of character you want making decisions about your future" and stated, "I'm 100% opposed to all his ideology."

Nevertheless, Jeff Walz is now backpedaling, indicating that he does not wish to influence the general public or take a stance on the election. He told NewsNation on Tuesday, "I don't agree with his policies, but in no way am I trying to influence the general public and come out and make a stance on that." He clarified that there would be no further statements from him and that he is not campaigning for or against his brother.

On Facebook, Jeff alluded to potential stories he could share but later shrugged them off, likening them to childhood memories like Tim experiencing car sickness during road trips. He assured NewsNation that there was nothing more significant hidden behind those statements.

Jeff found himself compelled to clarify his position after receiving feedback from friends and acquaintances who assumed he shared his brother's sentiments on various issues. Admitting that Facebook was not the appropriate platform for such discussions, he explained, "I was trying to clarify that just to friends...I used Facebook, which wasn't the right platform to do that."

One issue that bothered Jeff was the manner in which they learned about Tim being selected as the Democratic vice presidential candidate. He expressed disappointment, saying, "We felt bad that we found out about his being picked as the [Democratic] vice presidential candidate from radio." He suggested that they should have received a heads-up and some form of security, considering it was a significant development.

Jeff, a registered Republican, had previously contributed to Donald Trump's campaign in 2016. However, the political rift between the Walz brothers only emerged after far-right activist Laura Loomer discovered a post by Jeff on the day the former president was indicted over hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. Jeff's Facebook profile, aside from that particular post, was largely apolitical and has since been removed or made completely private.

Surprisingly, the brothers have not spoken to each other for eight years, with the reason for their estrangement remaining unknown, other than Jeff's wife sending Tim birthday greetings. However, Jeff did mention that he had briefly spoken to Tim on his mother's cellphone three weeks ago, when she visited him.

Reflecting on their strained relationship, Jeff stated, "It's too bad I guess it worked out that way because he is my brother and everything. You can disagree and still, still be civil brothers." Tim and Jeff have a sister named Sandy Dietrich, while their late brother, Craig Walz, tragically passed away in 2016 after being struck by a falling tree.

Jeff resides in a modest neighborhood in Freeport, Florida, situated behind a Publix supermarket. Freeport is a small community of about 6,500 residents in the state's ultra-conservative panhandle region, represented by Congressman Matt Gaetz.