Walz Stumbles on Lame Excuse After Stolen Valor Accusations

The Harris campaign issued a statement after a video it posted contained Minnesota Governor Tim Walz apparently lying about his military service.

The statement said Walz simply “misspoke” in the 2018 video which was circulated by the campaign to highlight Walz’s stance on gun control.

“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,” the Harris campaign spokesperson said.

“In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke. 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,” the spokesperson added.

In the clip, Walz said, “We can make sure that those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at.”

However, Walz was never deployed in a combat zone. He only ever served in a support role in non-combat areas, like Italy, while active military forces were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The backtrack was issued after Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance accused Walz of “stolen valor” at a Michigan rally last week.

“What bothers me about Tim Walz is this stolen valor garbage. Do not pretend to be something that you’re not,” Vance said at the event. “I’d be ashamed if I was him and I lied about my military service like he did.”

Vance is a Marine Corps veteran and marks the first time a veteran has been chosen for a major party ticket since John McCain in 2008.

Vance enlisted out of high school and was deployed to Iraq in late 2005.