Walz ‘Misspoke’ on Military Experience in 2018 Video, Harris Campaign Says

Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz "misspoke" in a 2018 video about his handling of weapons “in war,” a campaign spokesperson said on Friday.

For Context: The Harris campaign had been circulating the video last week, in which Walz discussed gun rights, saying, “We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war.” The clarification comes after Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance criticized Walz for “lying” about his military record, and the National Guard disputed his military biography.

Key Quote: The spokesperson said, “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.”

How The Media Covered It: Several outlets on the left, like NBC News (Lean Left bias), CNN (Lean Left bias), and The Washington Post Fact Check (Lean Left bias) reported receiving a statement from the campaign spokesperson, though none of the outlets named the spokesperson. Outlets on the right were more reactionary, citing coverage from outlets on the left as their source. Townhall (Right bias) published an opinion saying NBC News “pretty much” confirmed Walz lied about his military service. Fox News (Right bias) highlighted that The Washington Post called Walz’s original claim “sloppy and false.”