Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio) has ignited a heated exchange with CNN after anchor Brianna Keilar suggested he might be an "imperfect messenger" in criticizing Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz's military record. Vance, who served as a U.S. Marine in Iraq, has been vocal in questioning Walz's portrayal of his military service, but Keilar's comments on his own service have stirred controversy.
During a segment on CNN's Inside Politics, Keilar noted that while Vance's official title was "combat correspondent" during his deployment, he was actually a public affairs specialist who did not engage directly in combat. "The title 'combat correspondent' kind of gives you a different impression," Keilar said, adding that Vance "may be the imperfect messenger" to criticize Walz's military service.
Vance did not take kindly to Keilar's remarks. He responded swiftly on social media, calling the comments "disgusting" and condemning CNN for attempting to undermine his service. "Brianna, this is disgusting, and you and your entire network should be ashamed of yourselves," Vance wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went. Tim Walz said he carried a gun in a war. Did he? No. It was a lie."
Vance's criticism comes amidst growing scrutiny of Walz's military record following his selection as Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate. Walz, who served in the Minnesota National Guard for 24 years, has been accused of embellishing his military credentials. Critics, including Vance, have pointed to discrepancies in how Walz has described his service, particularly his claims of carrying a weapon in combat.
Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Behrends, who served in the same battalion as Walz, echoed Vance's concerns. "To most people, that would mean that he was actually in combat, carrying a weapon in a combat zone and getting combat pay in a dangerous and hostile environment where he is getting shot at," Behrends said during an appearance on Fox News's The Ingraham Angle.
CNN's coverage of the controversy has included fact-checking Walz's claims, with one correspondent noting that "there is no evidence" that Walz carried weapons in combat. The Minnesota National Guard has confirmed that while Walz served as a command sergeant major, he was stationed in Italy during his deployment, supporting security missions in Europe and Turkey rather than in active war zones like Iraq or Afghanistan.
The debate over military service has turned personal, with Vance accusing Walz of "stolen valor" for allegedly inflating his rank and misrepresenting his experience. "I wonder, Tim Walz, when were you ever in war?" Vance said at a campaign stop in Michigan. "He has not spent a day in a combat zone... I'd be ashamed if I was him and I lied about my military service like he did."
The Harris campaign has since adjusted Walz's biography on their website, changing the language from describing him as a "retired Command Sergeant Major" to stating that he "served as a command sergeant major." This change follows accusations that Walz retired early to avoid deployment to Iraq, a claim his former battalion members have corroborated.
Tom Schilling, another veteran from Walz's battalion, accused the governor of abandoning his soldiers before their deployment. "We all did what we were supposed to do; we did the right thing," Schilling said on Fox News's Jesse Watters Primetime. "It's dishonorable what he did. He left somebody else to take over his spot. He just ditched us."
In response to the mounting criticism, the Harris campaign released a statement defending Walz's service record. "In his 24 years of service, the Governor carried, fired, and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times," the statement read. "Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American's service to this country - in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It's the American way."
As the political battle intensifies, Vance's supporters argue that his criticism of Walz is justified, while his detractors, including Keilar, maintain that questioning the validity of another veteran's service crosses a line. The controversy highlights the sensitive nature of military service in American politics, especially as the first veterans since John McCain and George W. Bush have been placed on national tickets.
