PHOENIX – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is facing scrutiny after comments he made in a 2018 video resurfaced, prompting discussions about his military background. A spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign acknowledged on Saturday that Walz “misspoke” while discussing the issue of gun violence.
The scrutiny intensified following the announcement of Walz as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate for the upcoming presidential election. Critics, including Ohio Senator JD Vance, have raised questions regarding Walz’s statements about his military service, particularly his claim about “weapons of war that I carried in war.”
In the video, which gained attention on social media, Walz discussed the need to keep military-grade weapons off the streets, asserting that they should only be accessible to military personnel. This statement led to allegations that Walz misrepresented his military experience, as he has served 24 years in the Army National Guard but has never been deployed in a combat zone.
Campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt clarified that Walz did not intend to mislead the public regarding his service. “Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country,” Hitt stated, expressing appreciation for Vance’s service.
Hitt further explained that Walz was emphasizing the importance of restricting access to weapons of war. “He firmly believes that only trained military personnel should have access to these deadly weapons,” she added, contrasting their stance with that of Trump and Vance, who she claims prioritize the interests of the gun lobby over public safety.
Senator Vance, who served four years as a Marine Corps combat correspondent and deployed to Iraq, continues to challenge Walz’s statements and military record.
