Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) aggressively defended his military record on Tuesday, responding directly to Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-Ohio) criticisms as the vice presidential race heats up.
In his first solo address since being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Walz strongly countered Vance’s attacks, emphasizing his pride in his military service and denouncing any attempts to undermine another’s service record.
“I am damn proud of my service to this country. And I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person’s service record. To anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words: Thank you for your service and sacrifice,” Walz declared to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union in Los Angeles.
Vance, a Marine veteran, has questioned Walz’s sincerity about his service, alleging that Walz avoided combat duty by leaving the Army National Guard before his unit was deployed. Walz, who served in the National Guard for 24 years without seeing combat, clarified that he retired to run for Congress, and his departure was not timed to avoid deployment.
Walz recalled his service history, highlighting his commitment to veterans and his inspiration to serve from his father, a Korean War veteran. “These guys are even attacking me for my record of service. And I just want to say, I’m proud to have served my country and I always will be. With my dad’s encouragement — a guy who served in the Army during the Korean War — I signed up for the Army National Guard two days after my 17th birthday,” Walz explained.
He further noted, “Then in 2005, I felt the call of duty again, this time to serve my country in the halls of Congress. My students inspired me to run for that office.”
Walz’s speech also targeted union workers, a key demographic for Democrats, positioning himself as a strong advocate for their interests. “I am the first union member on a presidential ticket since Ronald Reagan, and I assure you, I won’t lose my way,” he said.
He criticized Trump and Vance, suggesting they lack genuine understanding of working-class issues. “Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, they see the world very differently than we do. The only thing those two guys know about working people is how to exploit them,” Walz said. He also took a jab at Trump’s work ethic, referencing Trump’s background as an example of how out of touch he is with working Americans.
“Can you simply picture Donald Trump working at a McDonald’s? … He couldn’t run that damn McFlurry machine if it cost him anything,” Walz said.
Walz concluded by reinforcing his commitment to the working class, quoting United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain’s criticism of Trump and emphasizing the contributions of workers to the nation’s development.
So good. Tim Walz just perfectly responded to Republicans attacking his record of service: “I am damn proud of my service to our country. To anyone brave enough to put on the uniform of our great country, including my opponent…Thank you for your service.” pic.twitter.com/aECQ4ffJ1N
— Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) August 13, 2024
Following his Los Angeles address, Walz is scheduled for a fundraiser in California and will continue his campaign swing through Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York.
