Buttigieg Defends Walz's Military Record Amid Vance's Criticism

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has come to the defense of Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, who has been accused of embellishing his military record. Buttigieg argues that Walz only made one mistake and that his overall record is unblemished.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has defended Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz against Republican attacks over his military record.

Walz has been accused by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance of lying about details of his military service for political gain. Buttigieg dismissed Vance's claims, suggesting they prove Walz's spotless record.

Buttigieg Defends Walz's Military Record Amid Vance's Criticism

"The fact that they have to go back to find a clip from 2018 to find the one time that he slipped up when he talks about the weapons of war that he carried and said something instead about carrying weapons in war. It‘s kind of an exception that proves the rule in terms of how hard you have to look to find him all saying anything that isn‘t precise and accurate," Buttigieg said on CNN's "State of the Union."

The clip Buttigieg referenced featured Walz discussing gun control and referring to his own military background.

Buttigieg Defends Walz's Military Record Amid Vance's Criticism

"We can make sure that those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at," Walz said in the clip, which was posted by Kamala Harris’ campaign on Twitter.

A Harris campaign spokesperson later issued a statement admitting that Walz "misspoke" in the clip since he was never deployed in a combat zone.

Buttigieg Defends Walz's Military Record Amid Vance's Criticism

"In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke. He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them, unlike Donald Trump and JD Vance who prioritize the gun lobby over our children," the spokesperson added.

The Washington Post fact-checker called Walz's claim "sloppy and false" on Saturday.

Buttigieg argued Walz only "slipped up" on his military record once.

"I think it's pretty clear that Tim Walz has a long and distinguished record of service to this country. He's a decorated veteran who served in the National Guard for over two decades," Buttigieg said. "I think the fact that they have to go back to find one instance where he misspoke is a testament to his overall credibility."

Walz's campaign has also defended his record, saying that he has always been truthful about his military service.

"Tim Walz has always been honest and upfront about his military service," said Walz campaign spokesman Zach Hudson. "He is a decorated veteran who served his country with honor. The attacks from the Trump-Pence campaign are nothing more than a desperate attempt to distract from their own record of failure."

The accusations against Walz come as Democrats are seeking to portray him as a moderate who can appeal to voters in swing states. Walz is a former congressman and governor of Minnesota. He is a member of the National Guard and served in Iraq.

Republicans are seeking to portray Walz as a liberal who is out of touch with the values of most Americans. Vance has accused Walz of being a "socialist" and of supporting policies that would hurt the economy.

The attacks on Walz's military record are likely to continue as the election draws near. Republicans will seek to use them to damage Walz's credibility and portray him as unfit for office. Democrats will defend Walz's record and argue that he is a qualified and experienced leader.