Vance Responds to CNN's Doubts About His Military Record

Senator JD Vance (R-OH), former President Donald Trump’s running mate, has responded strongly to CNN after anchor Brianna Keilar questioned his military service in the U.S. Marine Corps. Keilar suggested that Vance may be an “imperfect messenger” for criticizing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who recently joined Vice President Kamala Harris's 2024 ticket, over Walz's military record.

Keilar's critique centered on Vance's role as a combat correspondent during the Iraq War, implying that his service title might give the impression that he saw direct combat. In response, Vance took to X, formerly Twitter, expressing his disapproval: “Brianna, this is disgusting, and you and your entire network should be ashamed of yourselves. When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went. Tim Walz said he carried a gun in a war. Did he? No. It was a lie.”

Vance's comment was in response to a clip posted by the “Trump War Room,” which noted, “the difference is that [Vance] never lied about his rank or his service, and when his unit deployed to Iraq, he didn’t abandon them.”

Tim Walz served over two decades in the Army National Guard and was deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom following the September 11 attacks, though not in a combat zone, according to The New York Times. Walz retired in 2005, prior to his artillery unit being ordered to Iraq, and ran for Congress thereafter.

A video shared by Harris’s presidential campaign this week showed Walz claiming he carried weapons “in war.” However, CNN’s own Tom Foreman reported that there was “no evidence” that Walz was ever in a situation where he was “being shot at,” contrary to his claims.

In light of the controversy, POLITICO reported that Harris’s campaign had revised Walz’s biography, altering it from describing him as a “retired command sergeant major” to stating that he once served at that rank. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), the first Green Beret to serve in Congress, explained that Walz had been promoted to sergeant major but did not complete the sergeant major’s academy and was “demoted” to master sergeant.

During an appearance in Michigan, Vance criticized Walz over “stolen valor garbage” and stated, “I would be ashamed if I was him and I lied about my military service like he did.”

The ongoing debate over military service and truthfulness in political representation underscores the importance of transparency and honesty in public office. As Vance and Walz continue to clash over their respective records, voters will likely scrutinize the integrity and character of both candidates.

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