Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has come under fire for allegedly making false claims about his military service, with critics accusing him of “stolen valour.”
The controversy stems from a resurfaced 2018 video where Walz, now a running mate for Kamala Harris, makes misleading statements about his experience with firearms.
In the video shared by his gubernatorial campaign, Walz says, “We can research the impacts of gun violence.
We can ensure those weapons I carried in war are only carried in war.” The remarks have been challenged as misleading because Walz, who retired from the National Guard in 2005, never served in a combat zone.
CNN’s Jake Foreman highlighted that while Walz has spoken about his military service, his statements could imply he was involved in direct combat, which he was not. Foreman noted that there is no evidence Walz was ever in a situation where he was under fire.
J.D. Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, criticized Walz during a campaign event in Michigan.
Vance labelled Walz’s statements as “stolen valour” and questioned his claims about combat experience. “He said we shouldn’t allow weapons that I used in war to be on America’s streets,” Vance said. “Well, I wonder. Tim Walz, when were you ever in war?”
Vance expressed his frustration, urging that Walz should not misrepresent his military background.
