CNN Fact Checks Claim
Hey folks, let’s dive into a recent development that’s caught some media attention—though perhaps not as much as you might expect. With Vice President Kamala Harris now leading the Democratic ticket for the 2024 election, there’s been a growing interest in her newly chosen running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. However, this interest is mainly focused on some troubling questions about Walz’s military record, with accusations of embellishment—or even stolen valor—starting to bubble to the surface.
Earlier this week, CNN ran a segment addressing these claims head-on. Over the years, Walz has been accused of overstating his 24-year career in the Minnesota National Guard, particularly in ways that might suggest he saw combat when there’s no evidence to support that. In one instance, Walz’s language seemed to imply that he had carried weapons into an active war zone, a claim that has raised more than a few eyebrows.
CNN on Governor Tim Walz:
“Walz did make a comment, he’s done it a couple times, where he has used language that suggested that he carried weapons in a fighting situation. There is no evidence that any time that he was in the position of being shot at and some of his language… pic.twitter.com/o7gEPW5Xj3
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 7, 2024
This controversy was amplified by a video clip shared by none other than Kamala Harris’s own campaign. In the clip, Walz discusses his support for an assault weapons ban, referencing his military service to bolster his argument. “I’ve spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt,” Walz says in the clip. “We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are carried.”
Gov. @Tim_Walz: I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt. I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war,… pic.twitter.com/3IVaXi2RP2
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 6, 2024
But here’s the rub: Walz didn’t spend 25 years in the Army—it was just over 24 years, to be exact. And he didn’t carry a weapon in a war zone. According to fact-checkers like Jim LaPorta, Walz’s only overseas deployment was to Italy in 2003, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, not in a combat zone.
Quick fact check: No, Gov. Walz did not spend 25 years in the Army, it’s 24 years, 1 month and 9 days. No, he did not carry a weapon of war in war. In 2003, he deployed to Italy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. https://t.co/0UNlcJMHBV
— Jim LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) August 7, 2024
The CNN segment rightly pointed out that there’s a big difference between serving during a time of war and actually being in a situation where people are shooting at you. The network stopped short of accusing Walz of outright lying but noted that his language could easily be interpreted as misleading.
It's been 17 days since Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democrat nominee, and she still hasn't sat for a single media interview. #WheresKamala https://t.co/xy1otFvvGV
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 7, 2024
What’s interesting—and a bit surprising—is how little attention this story has received in the broader media landscape. While CNN has taken a cautious step in addressing the issue, much of the legacy media seems less interested in scrutinizing Walz or Harris. It’s worth noting that Harris, who rose to the top of the Democratic ticket without securing a single primary vote, has gone over two weeks without facing an interview or any tough questions from the press.