Republican vice presidential hopeful JD Vance took CNN’s Dana Bash to task over Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military service record. During a Sunday interview, Vance insisted Walz “knew he was going to Iraq” when he chose to retire from the National Guard.
Vance pointed to a CNN segment from the previous night, where one of Walz’s former superiors stated they knew about the Iraq deployment in fall 2004. This contradicts Walz’s claim that he was unaware of the deployment when he decided to retire.
“He lied about that,” Vance said firmly. “He said that when he decided to retire, he did not know he was going to Iraq. That is another untruth, as even his senior military officer said.”
The Ohio senator emphasized he wasn’t criticizing Walz’s service itself, but rather his honesty about the circumstances of his retirement. Vance suggested Walz left the military to run for Congress, despite knowing his unit might be sent to Iraq.
This exchange highlights ongoing questions about Walz’s military record. A 2005 press release from Walz’s campaign mentioned a possible deployment for his unit, yet Walz retired shortly after.
Vance’s pushback against CNN’s framing of events reflects growing conservative frustration with mainstream media coverage. As the 2024 election heats up, expect more clashes over candidates’ backgrounds and the media’s role in vetting them.
