Vice-presidential pick J.D. Vance sparred with CNN's Dana Bash over inconsistencies surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris' newly selected running mate Tim Walz's military record.
In the week since he was announced as Harris' running mate, Walz, a 24-year veteran, has faced an onslaught of criticism over the timing of his 2005 retirement from the military, which some have suggested was a calculated move to avoid his unit's impending deployment to Iraq. Walz has further been accused of stolen valor for framing himself as a combat veteran despite never seeing combat during his service.
Fellow veteran Vance, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007, sparred over the Minnesota governor's military record with Bash during a Sunday interview.
Bash, who defended Walz, suggested he was unaware of his unit's upcoming deployment prior to his retirement. However, the Ohio senator referenced the recent appearance of Doug Julin, Walz's direct superior in the National Guard, on CNN in which the retired commanding officer said Walz was aware of his unit's deployment to the Middle East when he submitted his retirement paperwork.
“He knew he was going to Iraq. He decided to quit,” Vance told Bash. “He lied about that. He said that, when he decided to retire, he did not know that he was going to Iraq. That is another untruth, as even his senior military officer said."
"I’m not criticizing the service. I’m criticizing the dishonesty — dishonesty spoken in favor and for the purpose of political benefit," Vance asserted.
He went on to say Harris' "judgement" would be the central point of criticism over Walz's alleged stolen valor. Kamala Harris isn’t running a presidential campaign. She’s producing a movie. Everything is scripted everywhere she goes.
She’s fundamentally a fake person who changes her tune depending on what audience she’s in front of. pic.twitter.com/HrCKF9XXSM
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 11, 2024
“Tim Walz is ultimately going to be the vice president — Kamala Harris is in great health, I’m sure she’s going to be president — if she wins for four or maybe even eight years," Vance said. "Why did Kamala Harris choose a person who has lied about their military service?"
The Ohio senator said Walz's selection as Harris' running mate displayed the vice president's "serious lapse in judgement."
Bash once again defended Walz by claiming many veterans have come out in support of the Minnesota governor, adding it was "untoward" to be critical of Walz's retirement.
“Dana, I’m not interested in the ad hominem. I have heard from a lot of veterans groups who criticized Tim Walz,” Vance responded. “The question is, he said he served in war, and he didn’t. That is a dishonesty. I really — I couldn’t care less what one or the other person says about it. I care about what the truth is. The truth is that Tim Walz didn’t tell the truth.”
“And, importantly, Dana, this is about Kamala Harris’ judgment,” Vance continued. “And I think that when you ask, why has Kamala Harris allowed the border to be wide open, why has Kamala Harris supported policies that have promoted the increase in inflation, I think it goes to the heart of her judgment, and I think that that’s what we should be talking about.”
