World Courant
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz defended his army report amid an onslaught of accusations that he has been deliberately deceptive about his service and likewise supplied some form phrases about his Republican vice presidential rival’s service within the U.S. Marine Corps.
“I’m rattling happy with my service to this nation,” Walz, who was tapped as Vice President Kamala Harris’ operating mate final month, mentioned throughout a speech in entrance of members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Staff (AFSCME), one of many nation’s strongest public sector unions.
The speech marked Walz’s first solo occasion since becoming a member of the marketing campaign and comes amid a wave of questions on how he has represented his army service, together with from his Republican counterpart on the path.
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Gov. Tim Walz, vice presidential nominee, delivers remarks on the AFSCMEs forty sixth Worldwide Conference in Los Angeles on Aug. 13, 2024. Walz was joined by AFSCME President Lee Saunders and public service employees from all around the U.S. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Occasions through Getty Pictures)
“What bothers me about Tim Walz is the stolen valor rubbish,” Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who was tapped by former President Trump to run on the Republican ticket, mentioned of Walz final week.
Vance’s critique was in reference to remarks Walz made wherein he argued he wish to ban the form of weapons he had “carried in struggle,” regardless of the Minnesota governor having by no means served in a struggle zone.
“We will be sure that these weapons of struggle, that I carried in struggle, is the one place the place these weapons are at,” Walz mentioned in a video that was launched by the Harris marketing campaign final month.
“What was this weapon that you simply carried into struggle, given that you simply deserted your unit proper earlier than they went to Iraq, and he has not spent a day in a fight zone?” Vance mentioned in response to the remarks, referencing Walz’s resolution to retire and run for Congress shortly earlier than his unit deployed to Iraq.
Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, speaks throughout a marketing campaign occasion on Aug. 7, 2024 in Detroit. (Andrew Harnik)
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Critics have additionally accused Walz of being deceptive when referencing deployments “in help” of Operation Enduring Freedom and claims that he retired as a command sergeant main when he by no means accomplished the mandatory coursework to maintain the rank and as an alternative retired as a grasp sergeant.
Nonetheless, Walz used his first solo occasion to push again towards the critics, arguing he was “proud to serve my nation, and I all the time shall be.”
Walz then turned his consideration to Vance, noting that a number of the criticism has come from Trump’s marketing campaign.
“These guys have — are even attacking me for my report of service,” Walz mentioned.
Nonetheless, Walz argued that such critiques must be off limits, going as far as to thank Vance, a Marine veteran, for his time in uniform.
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks throughout a marketing campaign occasion in Glendale, Arizona, on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (AP Photograph/Jae C. Hong)
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“I firmly consider it is best to by no means denigrate one other particular person’s service report,” Walz mentioned. “To anybody courageous sufficient to placed on that uniform for our nice nation, together with my opponent, I simply have just a few easy phrases: Thanks in your service and sacrifice.”
The Trump marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to a Fox Information Digital request for remark.
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Michael Lee is a author for Fox Information. Previous to becoming a member of Fox Information, Michael labored for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has coated politics for greater than eight years.
