Statement on JD Vance's False Attacks on Tim Walz' Service Record

SALEM, MA — Today, Rep. Seth Moulton released the following statement in response to JD Vance’s efforts to denigrate Tim Walz’ service record in the Army National Guard:

“When are Vance and Trump going to stop denigrating the men and women who honorably serve our country?

JD knows personally that signing up to serve does not always mean you see combat. 90% of servicemembers don’t. I signed up to serve in the Marines before 9/11 with no idea that I’d do four tours in Iraq soon after. We should respect all who serve, no matter their roles; and we should celebrate the fact that, for the first time since 2004, we have veterans on both major parties’ presidential tickets.  

For the choice we have this November, what should matter most to Americans is how the service of Senator Vance and Governor Walz shaped their character and values.

The first lesson I learned in the Marines is the importance of integrity: you can drop out of a run or fail a test and you’ll probably get to try again, but lie about anything and you’re going home.

JD Vance learned those same values, yet has sold his soul to Donald Trump, a draft dodger who infamously called war heroes “suckers and losers,” and who has built his entire life on lying and cheating. Closer to his time in the Marines, Vance called Trump the ‘American Hitler.’ A couple years later in politics, he pronounced that Trump is “America’s last best hope.” Trump said it himself: ‘JD is kissing my ass, he wants my support so bad.’ That’s not integrity, and Vance knows better.

On top of that, Vance has used his time in the Senate to politicize the military, withhold aid to those fighting for their lives in Ukraine, and vote against the legislation that funds our own armed forces. Under the banner of MAGA, the GOP has become the party that disrespects the flag, disparages veterans, undermines military recruitment, and shirks American global leadership.

All that stands in great contrast to Tim Walz and his four decades of service to our country. After twenty years in the National Guard, when most Guardsmen retire, he signed on for more because of 9/11. After 24 years, he retired from the Guard to run for Congress, where he was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform and their families.

That reminds me of the day in Iraq when a Marine in my platoon told me I should run for Congress someday so that ‘this doesn’t happen again.’ Millions of veterans and servicemembers are better off because Tim Walz made it to Congress, because he became one of their top defenders, because he passed legislation to prevent veterans suicide, and because he worked tirelessly to combat some of the Trump administration’s worst impulses on policy for veterans. I’m proud to have served in the House alongside Tim Walz because I’m proud of his service as a true American patriot.”

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