During a joint interview on CNN with Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday night, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz addressed criticisms regarding his military service record. Walz clarified that he “misspoke” when he previously claimed to have “carried weapons in war,” despite never being deployed to a combat zone. His comments have sparked backlash from Republicans and veterans who accused him of “Stolen Valor” and misrepresenting his service.
When CNN host Dana Bash questioned whether he had misspoken, Walz initially shifted the conversation to the issue of school shootings. “I’m incredibly proud and I’ve done 24 years of wearing the uniform of this country and equally proud of my time in a public school classroom,” Walz responded. He added, “My record speaks for itself, but people are getting to know me and I speak like they do.”
Walz continued, saying, “I speak candidly, I wear my emotions on my sleeves. I speak especially passionately about our children being shot in schools around guns… People know where my heart is. My record has been out there for over 40 years.”
When Bash pressed him further, asking again if he had misspoken, Walz admitted he had, attributing it to his “grammar,” which he claimed “isn’t always correct.” He added, “If it’s not this, it’s an attack on my children for showing love for me or it’s an attack on my dog.”
Walz served in the National Guard from 1981 until his retirement as a master sergeant in 2005. Critics, including veterans who served alongside him, have accused Walz of retiring to avoid his battalion’s deployment to Iraq after the 9/11 attacks. However, the Minnesota National Guard stated that Walz submitted his retirement papers at least five months before his battalion received deployment orders.
Further controversy surrounds Walz’s claim of retiring as a “Command Sergeant Major.” Critics argue that he did not retire with that title, instead stepping down as a Master Sergeant in 2005 after not meeting the full requirements for the higher rank.
During the CNN interview, Walz asserted, “I own my mistakes.” However, he has maintained that he was “not drunk” during a 1995 DUI arrest, attributing it to a “misunderstanding” with the police and “deafness.”