Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's military record is under fire as a campaign misstep by Vice President Kamala Harris amplifies Republican accusations of embellishment, thrusting his credibility into the spotlight just as the election heats up.
As scrutiny intensifies over Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's military record, the Harris campaign recently released a statement in defense of their vice-presidential nominee. The statement aimed to bolster Walz’s credentials by highlighting his time in Congress, specifically claiming that “he chaired Veterans Affairs.” However, this claim is inaccurate; while Walz served over a decade in the House and was the ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, he never chaired it.
Vice President Kamala Harris accurately described Walz’s role during her introduction of him in Philadelphia, referring to him as “the top Democrat on the Veterans Committee.” The campaign’s mistake, however, lies in the statement they released, which was published by major outlets like RealClearPolitics and NBC News, leading to criticism from Republicans who have accused Walz of embellishing his record. A Harris aide clarified that the error was “an innocent mistake” made by campaign staff.
“Governor Walz was ranking member/top Democrat on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs,” a Harris campaign spokesman reiterated, underscoring that this was his role during the 115th Congress between 2017 and 2018. A spokesman for Illinois Republican Rep. Mike Bost, the current chairman of the committee, confirmed the same, noting that Walz was never the chairman, only the ranking member from 2017-2019.
Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, seized on the controversy, criticizing Walz for retiring from the National Guard in 2005 before his unit deployed to Iraq. “I think it’s shameful to prepare your unit to go to Iraq, to make a promise that you’re going to follow through, and then to drop out right before you actually have to go,” Vance said, highlighting the fact that Walz retired just before the National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery, deployed.
Walz, who reached the rank of command sergeant major, has described himself as “the highest-ranking enlisted service member ever to serve in Congress.” However, Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, public affairs officer for the Minnesota National Guard, clarified that while Walz served as the command sergeant major for the battalion, he retired as a master sergeant for benefit purposes, as he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.
Adding to the controversy, a video promoted by the Harris campaign shows Walz advocating for gun control, stating, “we can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war.” The statement has been challenged, as Walz never served in a war zone. A spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign did not dispute this, but emphasized Walz’s extensive experience with military weapons during his 24-year career. “Gov. 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,” the campaign said in a statement.
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