In what appears to be damage control, Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign has acknowledged controversy surrounding inconsistencies in vice-presidential pick Tim Walz's military service.
The Minnesota governor, a 24-year veteran, initially faced criticism over his military service in 2018 after two fellow high-ranking sergeants in the Minnesota Guard claimed Walz "conveniently" retired shortly before he was set to deploy in Iraq in 2005.
Criticism over Walz's military record resurfaced last week after he was featured in a video shared to X by Kamala HQ, the official account of Harris' presidential campaign, claiming to have "carried ... weapons of war" during his service.
“I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt,” Walz says in the video, which was recorded on Aug. 24, 2023. “I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war.”
Walz faced an onslaught of stolen valor accusations by critics across social media who questioned the timing of Walz's retirement and the fact he framed himself as a combat veteran despite never experiencing combat during his service.
Critics included former President Donald Trump's running mate J.D. Vance, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007.
"When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it," Vance said of himself. "I did what they asked me to do and I did it honorably and I'm very proud of that service." You know what really bothers me about Tim Walz?
When the US Marine Corps asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it.
When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, he dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him. I think that's shameful. pic.twitter.com/Dq9xjn4R51
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 7, 2024
"When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him – a fact that he's been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people that he served with," Vance said.
On Saturday, Harris-Walz spokesperson Lauren Hitt acknowledged inconsistencies in Walz's military record and claimed the Minnesota governor had "misspoke" when previously discussing his military record.
“Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country — in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way,” Hitt said. “Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country — in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way,” Hitt said.
More here:https://t.co/VuCiXNoHo7
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) August 10, 2024
“In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke,” Hitt added. “He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them, unlike Donald Trump and JD Vance who prioritize the gun lobby over our children.”
