Kamala Harris’ running mate Gov. Tim Walz (Minn.) refused to respond to reporters asking him about allegations of stolen valor.
After landing in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for a campaign stop on Wednesday, reporters asked him to address allegations of stolen valor, but were ignored.
Walz instead shook hands before quickly walking off the tarmac with Harris and her entourage.
REPORTER: Your response to allegation of stolen valor?
WALZ: *ignores*
REPORTER: Your response to allegation of stolen valor!?
WALZ: *runs away* pic.twitter.com/el3sPGDYuM
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 7, 2024
Walz stoked controversy after bragging about his service in the National Guard before it was revealed he chose to leave his unit on the eve of his deployment to Iraq in 2003.
Thomas Behrends, a Guardsman who commanded Walz’s unit, lambasted the Minnesota governor in a 2018 letter as a “coward” for abandoning his post.
“I needed to hit the ground running and take care of the troops — and tell them we were going to war,” Behrends said of the 500 soldiers under his command. “For a guy in that position to quit is cowardice.”
“When your country calls, you are supposed to run into battle — not the other way,” the retired command sergeant major said. “He ran away. It’s sad.”
“He had the opportunity to serve his country, and said ‘screw you’ to the United States. That’s not who I would pick to run for vice-president,” he added.
Walz has also attempted to use his service to call for gun control and misled voters by suggesting he actually saw battle, which he did not.
“We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war” – Tim Walz
What’s more disturbing about what Tim Walz says here?
1. Gov. Walz never went to war yet clearly said he did
2. Gov Walz is a far left gun grabber#TamponTimmy #TimWalz… pic.twitter.com/P7gK6l5qbt— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) August 6, 2024
Even CNN was forced to call out Walz’s dishonest talking points.
CNN: It's "ABSOLUTELY FALSE" that Tim Walz ever "carried" weapons on the battlefield — an outrageous lie he has repeatedly told.
Walz abandoned his National Guard battalion just before they were deployed to Iraq. pic.twitter.com/jlTXlRLn8N
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 7, 2024
Walz’s refusal to answer reporters’ questions does seem on brand for the Democratic ticket given Harris also hasn’t answered a single question or conducted any interviews since the Democrat Party coronated her as its presidential nominee 17 days ago.
Meanwhile, Trump running mate J.D. Vance engaged with reporters covering Harris‘ and Walz’s arrival in Wisconsin after landing on the same tarmac, trolling them over their conspicuous refusal to answer questions.
