Tim Walz said he carried weapons ‘in war' in resurfaced clip, critics point out it's ‘absolutely false’
Kamala Harris’ running mate Tim Walz once claimed that he carried weapons “in war,” and a video of him making the remarks has resurfaced.
Kamala Harris’ running mate Tim Walz once claimed that he carried weapons “in war,” and a video of him making the remarks has resurfaced. The Minnesota governor made the comment in 2018 while counselling a crowded room about gun violence.
What did Tim Walz say?
“We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war,” Walz said in the clip.
However, critics quickly found out that Walz never really served in a combat zone. He retired from the National Guard in 2005.
“Walz did make a comment speaking to a group, he’s done it a couple of times, where he has used language that has suggested that he carried weapons in a fighting situation,” CNN’s Jake Foreman said.
“I know from coming from a military family there is a difference between being in a combat area, being involved at a time of war, and actually being in a position where people are shooting at you,” he added. “There is no evidence that at any time Governor Walz was in a position of being shot at, and some of his language could easily be seen to suggest he was, so that is absolutely false.”
Recently, JD Vance during a recent campaign in Michigan accused Walz of using “stolen valor.” “He said we shouldn’t allow weapons that I used in war to be on America’s streets,” Vance said. “Well, I wonder. Tim Walz, when were you ever in war?”
“What bothers me about Tim Walz is the stolen valor garbage. Do not pretend to be something that you’re not,” he added.
Meanwhile, insiders claimed that Harris chose Walz as her running mate after he reassured the vice president that he was “not angling” for the top job. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was widely considered the favourite for the ticket. However, Walz’s loyalty reportedly gave him an edge over Shapiro.