A CNN reporter gave Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz a scathing fact-check on Wednesday, claiming there was “no evidence” he was armed in combat, as the deputy said As the presidential candidate has previously hinted.
Walz’s political and military record has come under scrutiny since Vice President Kamala Harris announced him as her 2024 running mate. Former President Trump’s running mate, Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance, accused Walz on Wednesday of misleading the country about his veteran status.
“He said, ‘We should not allow the weapons that I used in the war to be on the streets of America.’ Well, I want to know, Tim Waltz, when did you go to war? Vance asked. And then He went on to say that Walz “had not spent a day in a war zone” and accused him of stealing courage.
CNN reporter Tom Foreman fact-checked claims about Walz’s military record the same day, recalling: “Walz did make the statement while speaking to a group of people. “He has done this several times, using language that suggests he is carrying weapons during military operations.”
CNN reporters fact-checked Gov. Tim Walz, claiming there was “no evidence” he was armed in combat, as he had suggested. (Screenshot/CNN)
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Walz appeared in a video shared by the Harris campaign on Wednesday, declaring at a campaign event, “We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carry in war are the only places where those weapons are.”
“There’s a difference between being in a combat zone, being involved in a time of war and actually being in a position where people are shooting at you,” he said. He added, “There is no evidence that Governor Walz was ever in a position to be targeted at any time. The location of the shooting, and some of his language it’s easy to see that he is, so it’s absolutely wrong when he talks about gun rights.
The reporter also said that the campaign has come forward to say that Walz would never want to intentionally mislead people on this matter. Forman noted that such a response was “what the campaign tends to say.”
Republican vice presidential candidate Ohio Senator J.D. Vance is locked in a tight race with his Democratic opponent, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. (Drew Hallowell/Stephen Martlen/Getty Images)
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Forman added that many people don’t realize the nuances of linguistic distinctions, such as “‘bringing into war’ means to most of us ‘I brought into a situation, I fired at other people, They shot at me too.
He then cited his father’s service in the Korean War, noting that he had photos of his father serving on the post with his weapon in hand. But he added, “He was never shot at or fired at anyone else, so he could say he served in the war, but he never actually served because it wasn’t combat.”
Walz deployed to Italy with the Minnesota National Guard on August 3, 2003, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, according to the Minnesota National Guard. The battalion supported security missions in multiple locations in Europe and Turkey, and Walz was stationed in Vicenza, Italy until returning to Minnesota in 2004, according to the Guard.
A spokesperson for Harris’ campaign told CNN, “During his 24 years of service, the governor carried, fired and trained others to use weapons of war countless times. Governor Walz would never insult or undermine the contribution of any American to this country.” –In fact, he thanked Senator Vance for risking his life for our country, the American way.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign for additional comment.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Fox News’ Anders Hagström contributed to this report.
