Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance has challenged CNN’s narrative regarding Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military retirement. During a recent interview with Dana Bash, Vance insisted that Walz knew about his unit’s potential deployment to Iraq when he decided to leave the National Guard.
Vance referenced a CNN segment from the previous night, where one of Walz’s former superiors stated they were aware of the Iraq deployment in fall 2004. This contradicts Walz’s claim that he was unaware of the deployment when choosing to retire.
“He lied about that,” Vance asserted. “He said that when he decided to retire, he did not know he was going to Iraq. That is another untruth, as even his senior military officer said.”
The controversy stems from Walz’s 2005 congressional campaign. A press release at the time mentioned a possible deployment for Walz’s unit, yet he retired shortly after filing to run for office.
Vance emphasized that his criticism was not of Walz’s service, but of his honesty about the retirement circumstances. This debate has also reignited questions about Walz’s military record, including reports suggesting he may have overstated his rank at retirement.
As the 2024 election approaches, this exchange highlights the intense scrutiny facing candidates’ backgrounds and the media’s role in vetting public figures. Vance’s pushback against CNN’s framing reflects growing conservative frustration with perceived media bias in covering political controversies.
