Minnesota Governor Tim Walz downplayed accusations that he misrepresented his military record during an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, which was part of their presidential campaign kickoff.
The criticism stemmed from comments Walz made in 2018 while running for Congress, where he claimed to have “carried a weapon of war in war” in support of assault weapon restrictions.
Walz, who served 24 years in the National Guard but was never in combat, attributed his statement to a verbal slip.
The Republican critique aimed to undermine Walz’s candidacy after he became Harris’ running mate.
However, the impact of this criticism has been lessened, partly because former President Donald Trump, who famously avoided military service, and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, who served in the Marine Corps without combat experience, also faced scrutiny.
In response to the criticism, Walz defended his military service and his record, emphasizing his pride in his 24 years in uniform and his work in education and public service.
He also dismissed attacks on his family and his dog, stating he would never belittle another person’s service or engage in personal attacks.
