JD Vance Fact Checks Dana Bash: Walz ‘Knew He Was Going to Iraq’ and CNN Already Aired the Proof

Republican vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), fact-checked CNN’s Dana Bash, telling her Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) “knew he was going to Iraq.”

During an interview with Bash on Sunday, Vance clarified that Walz “lied” when he had said he did not know his unit would be deployed to Iraq at the time he had “decided to retire.”

“On the question of when he left the National Guard, he filed his election paperwork, February 10th, 2005,” Bash told him. “That was a month before the National Guard even announced that it was possible that they would deploy to Iraq and it ended up being two months — he retired two months before they actually got the paperwork.”

“But, on CNN last night, Dana, one of the people who was actually in charge of him said they knew they were going to deploy to Iraq in February of 2004, excuse me, fall of 2004,” Vance said. “So, he knew he was going to Iraq, he decided to quit, to retire, whatever word you want to use.”

Bash interjected to note that Walz had retired.

“Whatever, because he wanted to run for Congress,” Vance continued. “He lied about that. He said that when he decided to retire, he did not know he was going to Iraq. That is another untruth, as even his senior military officer said. So again, I’m not criticizing the service, I’m criticizing the dishonesty.”

Walz has faced criticism over reports that have shown he retired from the military before his unit was deployed to Iraq, despite having knowledge of the possibility his unit could be deployed to Iraq.

As Breitbart News has reported, an archived press release from 2005 from Walz’s campaign shows that the “National Guard Public Affairs Office” had “announced a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard”:

On Thursday, March 17 the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard. First District congressional candidate Tim Walz currently holds the rank of Command Sergeant Major in the 1-125th Battalion, which is based in New Ulm and largely composed of men and women from southern Minnesota. The announcement from the National Guard PAO specified that all or a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.

Walz, who teaches Global Geography at Mankato West High School, has been an active member of the National Guard since 1981. He has been previously deployed during his 23 years in the National Guard, including an eight month deployment during Operation Enduring Freedom.

When asked about his possible deployment to Iraq Walz said, “I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization and I am unable to comment further on specifics of the deployment.”

Although his tour of duty in Iraq might coincide with his campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional seat, Walz is determined to stay in the race. “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq.”

“I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race. I am fortunate to have a strong group of enthusiastic supporters and a very dedicated and intelligent wife. Both will be a major part of my campaign, whether I am in Minnesota or Iraq.”

If called to duty, Walz would leave behind his wife Gwen and four year old daughter, Hope.

Walz went on to retire from the military, while his unit ended up deploying to Iraq.

Breitbart News’s Kristina Wong has also previously reported that Walz did not retire as a command sergeant major, or an E-9, as he has previously suggested. Instead, at the time of his retirement, Walz was a master sergeant, or an E-8.