Walz Busted in Fake Veteran Video!

A recently resurfaced video has ignited controversy surrounding Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, raising questions about his military record and the accuracy of his past statements. In the video, Walz appears to have exaggerated his military service by falsely claiming he was deployed to a war zone.

The footage, captured during a C-SPAN broadcast, shows then-U.S. Representative Walz speaking to a Gold Star family — families who have tragically lost loved ones in combat — during a hearing focused on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In his remarks, Walz claimed to have been deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He further stated that soldiers under his command had struggled with mental health issues upon their return, alleging they were given superficial remedies, such as being shown “The Horse Whisperer” and being told “to be nice” when they got home.

Walz stated: “And both of you, with your keen understanding of how this works, especially from National Guard families, I can tell you this, having been one of those that came back, we were in support of OEF, but being — sitting in there with OEF, OIF veterans. When we came back, they showed us the horse whisperer and told us to be nice when we went home. And that was the extent of it.”

In the video, Walz continued to discuss the improvements made in mental health treatment for veterans over the years, crediting efforts from both his peers and predecessors. “That was in 2004. Now, I’m proud to say that because of the people sitting in here and people who came before me, things have changed over the last four years. They have not changed enough. But Mr. Kennedy is following and moving something forward that the late senator from Minnesota, Sen. [Paul] Wellstone advocated so clearly: Mental health parity and this issue of de-stigmatizing mental health, of understanding,” Walz said.

BREAKING: In newly obtained tape, then-Rep. Tim Walz tells a gold-star family during hearing on PTSD that he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and says he and his troops suffering from mental health issues were “shown the horse… pic.twitter.com/mUzrJJR10S

— Bad Hombre (@joma_gc) August 10, 2024

However, this narrative is being met with intense scrutiny. Walz served in the Army and Army National Guard for 24 years, but critics are quick to point out that he never saw combat. What’s more, when his unit received orders to deploy to Iraq, Walz opted to retire rather than serve, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from those within his former unit and beyond.

Among the critics is Senator J.D. Vance, who served as a Marine public affairs officer and was deployed to Iraq. Vance did not mince words when addressing Walz’s statements. “He’s a veteran of a war nodding along in agreement instead of saying, ‘No, no, no, I did serve my country, and I did it honorably, but I never went to a war zone.’ I’m not criticizing Tim Walz’s service,” Vance told CNN’s Dana Bash. “I’m criticizing the fact that he lied about his service for political gain, Dana. Now I served in the United States Marine Corps, and you know this. And look, there are a lot of things that I’m proud about.”

Vance went on to criticize Walz’s decision to retire instead of deploying with his unit. “He knew he was going to Iraq,” Vance stated. “He decided to quit — to retire; whatever word you want to use … because he wanted to run for Congress. He lied about that. 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.” Vance added, “The truth is that Tim Walz didn’t tell the truth, and importantly, Dana, this is about Kamala Harris’ judgment.”

The controversy surrounding Walz’s military service is not the first time he has come under fire. He has also faced backlash for comments on gun control, where he suggested that Americans should not be allowed to carry the same weapons he used “in war.”

As the video continues to circulate, questions about the integrity of Walz’s statements and his motivations for making such claims are likely to persist. The fallout from these revelations could have significant implications for Walz’s political career, as voters and fellow politicians alike scrutinize his past actions and words.