Dozens of military veterans serving in Congress have signed a letter blasting radical Democrat vice presidential candidate Tim Walz over claims of stolen valor.
The letter was distributed on Thursday by President Donald Trump’s campaign.
The letter condemning Walz has emerged as the Democrat Minnesota governor has sought to dodge questions about the timing of his retirement from military service.
In an announcement about the letter, the Trump campaign slammed Walz as “Freakish Timothy.”
Walz, who joined the Nebraska National Guard as a teenager and also later served for Minnesota, met his 20-year requirement in 2001.
After learning he was due to be deployed to Iraq in 2005, Walz abruptly retired, abandoning his battalion.
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance, the senator from Ohio, and others have criticized Walz for retiring shortly before his unit was deployed to Iraq.
The letter was led by retired Army sergeant Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) and signed by other servicemembers-turned-lawmakers including:
- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS)
- Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL)
- Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)
- Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX)
- Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA)
- Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN)
- Rep. Greg Lopez (R-CA)
- Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL)
- Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA)
- Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL)
- Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI)
- Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)
I was one of the 50 Military Veterans who signed this letter because stolen valor is not something we can ignore.
Tim Walz is a liar who used these falsehoods about his service to advance his political career.
Every Veteran I have talked to is OUTRAGED about Kamala’s VP pick. pic.twitter.com/mOHrWFHlFz
— Jim Banks (@Jim_Banks) August 21, 2024
In the letter, the lawmakers call the office of vice president “a position that requires the trust of the American people and a solemn commitment to duty on behalf of the United States of America.”
“As veterans who have served our nation, we feel compelled to address your egregious misrepresentations and urge you to come clean to the American people.”
Going on to reference allegations of stolen valor, the letter continues:
“You have stated you are ‘damn proud’ of your service, and like any American veteran should be.
“But there is no honor in lying about the nature of your service.
“Repeatedly claiming to be a ‘retired command sergeant major’ when you did not complete the requirements was not honorable.”
“Nor was it honorable to claim to carry weapons ‘in war’ when you had not served in war, and abandoning the men and women under your leadership just as they were getting ready to deploy was certainly not honorable either.”
The letter closes with a collective vote of no confidence for Walz:
“… Until you admit you lied to [America’s veterans], there is no way you can be trusted to serve as vice president.”
At a separate press conference, Mast noted how Steve Nikoui became so angry and frustrated that he shouted out during this year’s State of the Union.
Nikoui is the father of a Marine killed in President Joe Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal.
Mast added that Vice President Kamala Harris went along with the Afghanistan plan and praised it herself.
“Because, not only has Biden gone through now four years and not said a word [about] Afghanistan, he has never said his son’s name,” Mast said.
“He’s never said any of the 13 servicemembers’ names.”
“It’s one thing to lose your men or women in combat, that happens, but to lose it due to incompetence and to literally idiotic and asinine decision-making out of that White House is something we as a veterans community, and certainly me, as long as I’m in this position and I have a breath, will never let them forget. and [Harris] owns it.”
“She owns it. She was proud of it.
“She bragged about it.”
JD Vance had previously critiqued Walz on the matter and also served in uniform.
William Martin, a spokesman for Vance, said veterans nationwide are “furious with Tim Walz’ lies about his military record.”
“Even Walz’ superior officer and the chaplain of his regiment have explicitly condemned his decision to abandon his unit when they were deployed to Iraq,” Martin said.
He added Walz has the opportunity Thursday night to apologize for “years of stolen valor” during his scheduled DNC speech.
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