Rep. Mike Walz (R-Fla.) told CNN host Brianna Keilar on Wednesday that he should question Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.)’s claims about his military record “instead of defending them.”
The “CNN News Central” host asked Walz on Wednesday about a letter he and 50 other veteran Republican lawmakers sent to the Democratic vice presidential nominee about “gross misrepresentations.”
Keilar accused the Florida senator of attacking Walz’s military service, but he disagreed with that portrayal, saying, “I’m attacking the lies about his military service.”
She played a clip of veteran Joe Eustice defending Walz, asking the congressman, “This guy hates and despises Tim Walz’s politics and he’s not going to vote for him. But he served with Walz and knows the job well. So why are you and other Republicans doing this?”
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Rep. Mike Walz fired back at CNN host Brianna Keilar over Gov. Tim Walz’s military record. (CNN screenshot)
Walz pointed out that the Minnesota governor has repeatedly referred to himself as a retired Army sergeant major, despite not meeting the requirements to earn that title.
“It may sound like semantics to some people, but to veterans, especially enlisted veterans, this is important. It’s a lie. It’s an inaccuracy and an exaggeration and he should explain that. All I can say is …” Waltz said before being interrupted.
“It’s not stolen valor,” Keillor argued. “Let me be clear: I’m reading the letter, Mike, I’m reading this, and I quote, ‘It is never honorable to abandon the men and women under your command who were preparing to deploy.’ This is an attack on his service.”
“This is an attack on my decision to not go into combat as a troop leader,” Waltz argued.
Keillor repeatedly brought up Eustice to counter Walz’s claims, even as several other veterans who served under the Minnesota governor voiced their criticism.
As Keilar continued to press Walz about the letter, veteran Republicans urged him to question Walz instead.
“Brianna, rather than defending these decisions, I would like you to interview him and ask him these questions, or at least sit down and answer these inconsistencies,” Walz said.
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Gov. Tim Walz has come under fire for exaggerating his military career over the past 20 years. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
Keillor acknowledged that Waltz needs to answer questions about his military record, but continued to push back against Waltz’s attacks.
“I don’t know if it’s worth burning up 24 years of service,” Keeler said.
“I would prefer that he sit down and answer the questions, not me or J.D. Vance. The American people deserve that. The veterans community certainly deserves that,” Walz said.
Keilar came under fire earlier this month for suggesting that Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance was exaggerating his own military record in an attack on Walz.
Keillor said Vance was a combat correspondent, but “if you dig a little deeper, he’s a public relations professional, he wasn’t in combat. And certainly the title ‘combat correspondent’ carries some kind of different connotation. So maybe he’s an imperfect communicator in that respect.”
Brianna Keilar previously downplayed GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance’s military record after he attacked Waltz. (AP Photo/CNN)
She later retracted her comments, acknowledging that Vance “did his job honorably,” but still appeared to defend Waltz.
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“In a country where few bear the burden, military service should be an asset, not a liability,” Keillor said. “Though our country has been at war in recent years, many service members have not seen combat. That doesn’t make them or their service any less admirable or necessary. Retiring a National Guardsman after 24 years of service is no good. These attacks from the left and right belittle the service of so many who have sacrificed time with their families, put themselves in harm’s way, and served honorably because our military is primarily made up of J.D. Vances and Tim Waltzes.”
