Hello, everyone! Let’s dive into the latest controversy that’s heating up the political landscape. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz continues to find himself in the spotlight, and not for the reasons he’d probably like.
Walz, who’s been picked as the running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris, is catching some serious heat on social media over accusations of “stolen valor.” And, folks, this is one of those stories that really gets people talking.
So, what’s going on? Earlier this week, at the AFSCME Convention, Walz took the stage to defend his 24 years of service in the National Guard. Now, nobody’s disputing that he served in the Guard, but there’s more to the story.
Walz focused his speech on his military service and his efforts to support veterans while he was in Congress. He made a point of saying that he’s proud of his service and that no one should ever belittle another person’s military record.
Walz: I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person’s service record. Anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words. Thank you for your service and sacrifice pic.twitter.com/PcskL7zgiL
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 13, 2024
Sounds good, right? Well, not everyone thinks so. The problem, according to critics, is that Walz seemed to be dodging some pretty serious accusations. Retired military members, like Col. Rob Maness and USAF pilot Dale Stark, took to social media to point out that the issue isn’t about Walz’s actual service record—it’s about whether he’s been truthful about it. Specifically, they’re upset about claims that Walz has exaggerated his military experience for political gain.
Let me say this one more time. No one is denigrating his actual service record, they’re denigrating the lies he tells about his service record. Walz is dishonoring himself by embellishing his military service record for political gain. https://t.co/pRBEdkVuRj
— Col. Rob Maness ret. 🇺🇸 (@RobManess) August 13, 2024
Nobody can take away your veteran status. You earned that status, @Tim_Walz.
But you’re out of your mind if you think it’s anything but f’d up to lie about going to war and serving in combat. That’s a special kind of bullsh!t and it’s absolutely disgusting. #VeteransForTrump https://t.co/KckaYLr4ld
— 🇺🇸 𝕽𝖔𝖇 🇺🇸 (@whoa_rob) August 13, 2024
Let’s break it down. Walz has been accused of inflating his military rank and even falsely presenting himself as a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom. These accusations have been swirling for years, but they’ve gained new traction since Harris announced him as her VP pick. For example, his campaign once listed him as a “retired command sergeant major,” a rank he never officially retired with. After criticism, that detail was quietly removed from the campaign website.
And then there’s the viral video where Walz talks about gun control and mentions carrying a weapon in war despite questions about his combat experience. Walz’s camp later said he misspoke, but the damage was done—especially since he had shared the video himself just days before.
“I spent 25 years in the Army, and I hunt … I’ve been voting for common-sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can do CDC research … We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place where those weapons are at,” Walz said in the video.
It’s true. I’m a veteran, a hunter, and a gun owner. But I’m also a dad. And for many years, I was a teacher.
I know basic gun safety isn’t a threat to my rights. It’s about keeping our kids safe.
I had an A rating from the NRA. Now I get straight F’s. And I sleep just fine. https://t.co/R3ZX4A35GB
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) July 27, 2024
Some people are rallying to Walz’s defense, arguing that his comments and service are being unfairly scrutinized. But the backlash, particularly from veterans, suggests that these concerns aren’t going away anytime soon. For many, it’s not just about politics; it’s about the integrity of military service and how it’s portrayed to the public.
As the Harris-Walz campaign moves forward, it’ll be interesting to see how or if they even address these allegations and whether they’ll continue to haunt Walz on the campaign trail.
