Harris Campaign Says Walz ‘Misspoke’ About Being ‘In War’

Last updated on August 12th, 2024 at 09:36 am

Democrat Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz “misspoke” about carrying “weapons of war” in combat, a Kamala Harris presidential campaign spokesperson told CNN on Saturday, Aug. 10.

The Harris-Walz campaign drew scrutiny shortly after Harris named her 2024 running mate last week, by sharing an older video clip of Walz describing his stance on guns. Walz, who served 24 years in the Army National Guard, pointed to his service record as he called for expanding background checks, blocking interstate firearm carry reciprocity, and barring access to certain firearms he deemed “weapons of war.”

“We can make sure that those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at,” Walz continued.

To answer everyone’s questions about the video being shared. Governor Tim Walz’s service record indicates that he did not deploy to a combat zone. Instead, he was stationed in Italy to support combat operations. While all Soldiers carry an M4/M16 rifle during training,… pic.twitter.com/vGIsSv3asr

— Stolen Valor (@StolenValor1) August 7, 2024

The Minnesota governor’s allusion to carrying weapons “in war” ran afoul of some observers, who accused him of lying about his service record. Walz did not see combat or deploy to a combat zone during his military career. While he likely carried a service rifle in training settings, there’s no indication he’s ever fired shots in anger.

Former President Donald Trump’s running, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), joined in criticizing the Minnesota governor for his comments about his service record.

“He has not spent a day in a combat zone,” Vance told reporters last week.

Vance, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq in a non-combat role, said, “I’d be ashamed if I was him and I lied about my military service like he did.”

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), another Marine veteran-turned-lawmaker, defended Walz against Vance’s attacks, and accused the Republican vice presidential candidate of “denigrating the men and women who honorably serve our country.”

“In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke,” Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt told CNN on Saturday. “He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them, unlike Donald Trump and JD Vance who prioritize the gun lobby over our children.”