JD Vance hits back after CNN host's dismissive remarks about his service in Iraq

Ohio Senator JD Vance (R) responded to CNN host Brianna Keilar's statements she made on-air on Thursday about his criticisms against fellow vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) for misrepresenting his military service.

Unlike Walz, Vance deployed to Iraq while he was in the Marine Corps. Vance, and other members of Walz's National Guard unit, have said he abandoned his troops when he retired from the military as they were getting ready to be deployed to Iraq. Walz had publicly indicated he was going to deploy with his men.

'When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went.'

“I also think that JD Vance as a messenger on this may be an imperfect messenger because we have, as you introduced him, a combat correspondent, which was what his title was. But if you dig a little deeper into that, he was a public affairs specialist, someone who did not see combat, which certainly the title, combat correspondent, kind of gives you a different impression. So he may be the imperfect messenger on that," Keilar said.

Keilar's statement received quick condemnation from Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

"Brianna this is disgusting, and you and your entire network should be ashamed of yourselves. When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went. Tim Walz said he carried a gun in a war. Did he? No. It was a lie," Vance said in response to the CNN host.

Walz has also allegedly misrepresented his service by claiming to have "carried a weapon of war in war" even though he had never deployed to a combat zone during his 24-year career in the National Guard. Veterans who have served in Afghanistan have also taken issue with Walz labeling himself as a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom. One Afghanistan veteran went to then-Congressman Walz's office in Minnesota to bring it up with his staffers.

Despite their agreement the label could be misleading to civilians and something would be done about it, nothing was done to make Walz's service more clear.

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