In a heated exchange on CNN, Republican vice presidential hopeful JD Vance accused Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of lying about the circumstances of his military retirement. Vance challenged host Dana Bash’s timeline of events, insisting that Walz knew about a potential Iraq deployment before leaving the National Guard.
“On CNN last night, Dana, one of the people who was actually in charge of him said they knew they were going to deploy to Iraq in fall of 2004,” Vance stated. “So, he knew he was going to Iraq, he decided to quit, to retire, whatever word you want to use.”
The controversy dates back to Walz’s 2005 congressional campaign. A press release from that time mentioned a possible deployment for Walz’s unit, yet he retired shortly after filing to run for office. Vance suggested that Walz left the military to pursue his political ambitions, despite knowing his unit might be sent to Iraq.
Vance emphasized that his criticism was not of Walz’s service itself, but of his truthfulness about the retirement circumstances. This debate has also reignited questions about Walz’s military record, including previous reports suggesting he may have overstated his rank at retirement.
As the 2024 election approaches, this exchange underscores the intense scrutiny facing candidates’ backgrounds. Vance’s pushback against CNN’s framing reflects growing conservative frustration with mainstream media coverage of such controversies.
