‘Girmay is afraid’: Brian Heywood calls King County Executive’s apology ‘cowardly’ after selfie firestorm

When Brian Heywood, the founder of Let’s Go Washington, found King County Executive Girmay Zahilay at the USA v. AUS World Cup match in Seattle, they quickly posed for a selfie, not knowing the firestorm of controversy it would spark.

Met Girmay Zahilay @GirmayZahilay at the USA v Australia world cup match. When I told him my name he said well we can put all of our political differences behind us to cheer for the USA right?

Of course we can.

Later i was sitting watching the game and he came up and said… pic.twitter.com/fDlqnKQ1ra

— Brian Heywood – That Damn Mormon (@bkheywood) June 19, 2026

“It was a reminder that even political foes can pause for patriotism, pleasantries, and a well-timed fatherly photo bomb,” KIRO fill-in host Tim Geydos said on “The John Curley Show.” “But I remember when I saw that, I knew what was coming. Certainly what happened, I think, was easily predicted. Someone posted and responded to Girmay and said, basically, ‘Man, Girmay, I can’t believe that you did this. This person, Brian, is single-handedly trying to persecute the trans people and vulnerable people.'”

Zahilay later issued an apology for taking a selfie with Heywood, later writing, “I was with my family at the game, he asked for a picture, happened quickly while I was walking. I should have taken a beat to say no instead of doing the reflexive and socially familiar thing. Very sorry for the harm. Will do better.”

“I was careful, even in my wording, to make sure that wasn’t like, ‘Hey, we’re besties now, we’re going to hang out,'” Heywood told Geydos on “The Jon Curley Show.” “It was, ‘We’re political foes, but for this thing, we can come together.’ That was the setup of the whole thing before Hannah Kreig decided there’s a purity test that has to happen before anyone can talk to anyone that the left approves.”

Krieg, an independent journalist covering Seattle, wrote, “Omg wow so cool to hang out with the guy who wants to check all the little girls’ genitals. I’m so happy we can all get along!” in response to the photo.

Heywood reacts to Zahilay’s response

“When you saw Girmay’s response, and what he said, what went through your head?” Geydos asked.

“I was kind of disappointed, and the second thing was, I think it was stupid,” Heywood answered. “When you meet someone, it defangs you a little bit, right? It makes it harder for me to go after him in any sort of way. I met him. He’s a nice guy. He’s pleasant. He didn’t say anything rude. Then I saw this thing, and it was sort of cowardly, right? As soon as you do that, as soon as you apologize for something, they own you. I really think what he should have done is said, ‘Hey, screw you guys. This is America. We’re there for the sports.’ They were cheering on Team USA, go USA, right? And just let it go.”

Heywood connected the outrage over the photo to what he claims is an increase in the political left being OK with increased violence.

“Washington state has a lot to do with the fact that we don’t have a choice, right? People are people, right?” Heywood said. “I’m sure there are scumbags on both sides that would be violent and rude, but in this state we’re such a minority that I joke that you can come out as anything in Seattle, except a conservative, right?

“If you’re on the left, you can say whatever you want. The real progressives to me are the scary ones, and I think that’s what’s going on here,” Heywood continued. “Girmay is afraid, right? He’s afraid that these guys are going to make his life hell. And it’s not an unreasonable fear, because they eat their own, and then I think there’s a group of them in Washington state that are still unchecked. They can do whatever they want.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

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