Fifty Republican veterans serving in Congress sent a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, on Wednesday blasting him for lying about his military service.
“We are deeply grateful to Mr. Walz for his support,” they said in the letter, which was made public as Mr. Walz was preparing to speak at the Democratic National Convention.
The office of Vice Presidency is one that commands the trust of the American people and requires the solemn performance of duties on behalf of the United States of America. As veterans who have served our nation, we urge you to address your flagrant misrepresentation and expose the truth to the American people.
Republicans said Walz should be proud of his service in the National Guard, but added that “it is not honorable to lie about what you did there.”
It was not honorable to repeatedly claim to be a “veteran first sergeant” when you did not meet the requirements, it was not honorable to claim to have carried a weapon “in a war” when you did not serve in that war, and it was certainly not honorable to abandon the men and women under your command who were preparing to deploy.
Waltz falsely claimed to be a retired master sergeant (the highest rank in the Army), when in fact he was a retired sergeant major, and falsely claimed to have carried a weapon “in war” when he never deployed to a combat zone.
“Frankly, falsely claiming military service that did not occur and then abandoning duty disrespects the real sacrifices made by veterans who served in combat,” they wrote, adding:
The honor of wearing the uniform is earned through dedication, courage and an unwavering sense of duty. You have demonstrated none of these traits, having lied through a political career that began on the basis of a title you did not earn and combat deployments you did not serve.
They said their serious concerns stemmed from the fact that the vice presidency, for which Trump is running, is “one step away” from being commander in chief.
“You have already demonstrated your lack of wartime leadership and honor through your blatantly false claims to exploit and misappropriate the experience of America’s veterans for your own personal gain,” they said, adding:
As a result, America’s veterans and service members are rightfully worried about what would happen to them if you became President. America asked you to lead our troops into war, and you turned your back on them. You betrayed the trust of our brothers and sisters in arms, whose blood, sweat and sacrifice are the only reason our country survives. No one can trust you as Vice President unless you admit that you lied to them.
The letter was signed by the following people:
Brian Mast, Chair of President Trump’s Veterans and Military Families Committee, U.S. Congressman (Florida’s 21st District), Staff Sergeant (Ret.)
Joni Ernst, U.S. Senator from Iowa and Lt. Colonel (Ret.) of the Army National Guard
Roger Marshall, U.S. Senator from Kansas and Captain, U.S. Army Reserve (Ret.)
Rick Scott, U.S. Senator (Florida), U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class (Ret.)
Roger Wicker, U.S. Senator from Mississippi and Lt. Colonel, U.S. Air Force Reserve (Ret.)
Brian Babin, U.S. Congressman (TX-36), U.S. Air Force Captain (Ret.)
Don Bacon, U.S. Congressman (NE-02), U.S. Air Force Brigadier General (Ret.)
Jim Baird, U.S. Congressman (IN-04), U.S. Army 1st Lt. (Ret.)
Jim Banks, U.S. Congressman (IN-03), Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy Reserve (Ret.)
Jack Bergman, U.S. Congressman (MI-01), Lt. Gen. (Ret.), U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Mike Bost, U.S. Congressman (IL-12), Corporal (Ret.)
Mike Carey, U.S. Congressman (OH-15), U.S. Army Reserve (Ret.)
Eli Klein, U.S. Congressman (AZ-02), U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class (Ret.)
Warren Davidson, U.S. Congressman (OH-08), U.S. Army Captain (Ret.)
Neil Dunn, U.S. Congressman (FL-02), U.S. Army Major (Ret.)
Jake Elzey, U.S. Congressman (TX-06), U.S. Navy Commander (Ret.)
Pat Fallon, U.S. Congressman (TX-04), U.S. Air Force Captain (Ret.)
Scott Fitzgerald, U.S. Congressman (Wisconsin’s 5th District), Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army Reserve (Ret.)
Scott Franklin, U.S. Congressman (FL-18), U.S. Navy Commander (Ret.)
Tony Gonzales, U.S. Congressman (TX-23), Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Mark Green, U.S. Congressman (TN-07), U.S. Army Major (Ret.)
Brett Guthrie, U.S. Congressman (Kentucky’s 2nd District), U.S. Army Lieutenant General (Ret.)
Clay Higgins, U.S. Congressman (LA-03), Army National Guard Staff Sergeant (Ret.)
Wesley Hunt, U.S. Congressman (TX-38), U.S. Army Captain (Ret.)
Darrell Issa, U.S. Congressman (CA-48), U.S. Army Captain (Ret.)
Ronny Jackson, U.S. Congressman (TX-13), U.S. Navy Rear Admiral (Ret.)
Jen Kiggans, U.S. Congressman (VA-02), U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Nick LaRota, U.S. Congressman (NY-01), U.S. Navy Lieutenant (Ret.)
Greg Lopez, U.S. Congressman (4th District), U.S. Air Force (Ret.)
Barry Loudermilk, U.S. Congressman (GA-11), Staff Sergeant (Ret.) U.S. Air Force
Anna Paulina Luna, U.S. Congressman (FL-13), Senior Airman, U.S. Air Force (Ret.)
Rich McCormick, U.S. Congressman (GA-06), U.S. Navy Commander (Ret.)
Max Miller, U.S. Congressman (OH-07), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve (Ret.)
Mariannette Miller-Meeks, U.S. Congressman (IA-01), Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Corey Mills, U.S. Congressman (FL-07), U.S. Army Sergeant (Ret.)
Barry Moore, U.S. Congressman (AL-02), Army National Guard Staff Sergeant (Ret.)
Troy Neals, U.S. Congressman (TX-22), Major (Ret.), U.S. Army Reserve
Zach Nunn, U.S. Congressman (IA-03), U.S. Air Force Reserve Colonel
Scott Perry, U.S. Congressman (PA-10), Brigadier General (Ret.)
August Plueger, U.S. Congressman (TX-11), U.S. Air Force Colonel (Ret.)
Guy Reschenthaler, U.S. Congressman (PA-14), U.S. Navy Lieutenant (Ret.)
Hal Rogers, U.S. Congressman (Kentucky’s 5th District), Army National Guard Staff Sergeant (Ret.)
Keith Self, U.S. Congressman (TX-03), Lt. Colonel (Ret.)
Gregory Stubbs, U.S. Congressman (FL-17), U.S. Army Captain (Ret.)
William Timmons, U.S. Congressman (SC-04), Air National Guard Captain
Derrick Van Alden, U.S. Congressman (WI-03), Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Michael Waltz, U.S. Congressman (FL-06), Army National Guard Colonel (Ret.)
Brandon Williams, U.S. Congressman (NY-22), U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander (Ret.)
Joe Wilson, U.S. Congressman (South Carolina’s 2nd District), Army National Guard Colonel (Ret.)
Ryan Zinke, U.S. Congressman (MT-01), U.S. Navy Commander (Ret.)
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