Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is settling the debate over Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz’s military service once and for all.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, posted a new political ad on X from the Trump campaign targeting Walz for his alleged military record.
JD Vance called Tim Walz on X “stolen valor” for “abandoning his troops.”
“Stolen Valor Tim Walz abandoned his troops so he could run for political office,” he said.
“Don’t take my word for it. Listen to the men he served with.”
Here’s an exclusive, first look at the ad:
🚨NEW DEVASTATING AD: Tim Walz lied and abandoned his troops. Now he wants to be Vice-President. pic.twitter.com/BDM9pPpj1o
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) August 21, 2024
This strong ad comes on the heels of the Trump campaign also distributing a letter to the national press Thursday from dozens of veterans serving in Congress hitting back at Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz over claims of “stolen valor.”
According to a report from Fox News this week, journalists were handed the letter condemning Walz, as the Minnesota governor has battled back against questions about the timing of his retirement from military service.
Vance and others in the military community have criticized Walz for retiring only months before his unit was deployed to Iraq in 2005.
According to the Fox News report, the letter was led by retired Army sergeant Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., and signed by other servicemembers-turned-lawmakers including Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Reps. Brian Babin, R-Texas, Jennifer Kiggans, R-Va., Jim Banks, R-Ind., Greg Lopez, R-Colo., Cory Mills, R-Fla., Scott Perry, R-Pa., Barry Moore, R-Ala., Jack Bergman, R-Mich., and Don Bacon, R-Neb.
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 ends saying:
“… Until you admit you lied to [America’s veterans], there is no way you can be trusted to serve as vice president.”
Read the letter in its entirety here:
NEW: 50 military veterans from the House and Senate sign an open letter to @Tim_Walz torching him over his Stolen Valor:
"You have lied your way through a political career launched on the foundation of a title you did not earn and combat deployments you did not take part in." pic.twitter.com/1g8KQClIOj
— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) August 21, 2024
William Martin, a spokesman for Vance, said veterans nationwide are “furious with Tim Walz’ lies about his military record.”
Walz did not address his military record during this week’s DNC.