Vance Challenges Walz to Address Military Records After Harris’s VP Claim

JD Vance has publicly called out his Democratic counterpart Tim Walz, urging him to discuss their military records during a debate. This challenge follows Walz’s response to accusations of “stolen valor” regarding his service.

The feud between the Minnesota governor and the Ohio senator has focused on their respective military experiences. Although both men did not serve in direct combat roles, Republican critics have accused Walz of misrepresenting his military record and have unfoundedly claimed that he deliberately avoided deployment to Iraq.

During a speech at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) convention in Los Angeles, Walz defended his 24 years in the Army National Guard, which serves as a combat reserve for the U.S. Army. “I just want to say, I’m proud to have served my country, and I always will be,” he proclaimed to an enthusiastic audience.

Walz further criticized those who attack others for their military service. He emphasized, “I am damn proud of my service to this country, and I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person’s service record.”

In a display of camaraderie toward all who have worn the military uniform, he concluded, “To anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words: Thank you for your service and sacrifice.”

Vance, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2003 and served as a public affairs officer, shared a clip of Walz’s speech and continued to accuse him of dishonesty regarding his military record. On social media, he expressed gratitude for Walz’s service but criticized him for allegedly misrepresenting it. “But you shouldn’t have lied about it. You shouldn’t have said you went to war when you didn’t. Nor should you have said that you didn’t know your unit was going to Iraq,” Vance noted, inviting Walz to further discuss the matter during a debate.

Both vice-presidential candidates have encouraged each other to take the debate stage. Walz initially challenged Vance shortly after being selected as Kamala Harris’s running mate. At a rally in Philadelphia in early August, he expressed his eagerness to debate, quipping that he hoped Vance could make it off the couch and appear on stage, a jab at circulating rumors about Vance’s behavior.

Despite both candidates expressing interest in debating, a date for the event has yet to be confirmed. Vance has been particularly aggressive in his critiques of Walz’s military service. He has spotlighted a 2018 statement from Walz where he claimed to have handled assault weapons “in war,” despite never having been deployed in combat.

“He has not spent a day in a combat zone,” Vance stated to reporters at a rally in Michigan, insisting that Walz should not present himself in a way that misleads the public.

Kamal Harris’s campaign addressed the controversy surrounding Walz’s statements, acknowledging on Saturday that he “misspoke” in the past. Furthermore, Walz’s biography was updated recently, changing the description from “retired command sergeant major” to “served as a command sergeant major.”

Vance, in an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, clarified that he was not attacking Walz’s military service but accused him of lying for political advantage. He also criticized the timing of Walz’s departure from the National Guard in February 2005, suggesting it coincided with his decision to run for Congress, implying an intent to evade deployment to Iraq.

In defense of his timeline, it is important to note that Walz officially left the Guard one month prior to his Minnesota unit receiving deployment orders, contradicting the claims made by Vance and other critics.