Washington
Washington Post chief fact-checker slams Tim Walz’s claims of carrying weapons ‘in war’: ‘Sloppy and false’
Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler shredded Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz’s, D-Minn., claim that he once carried weapons of war “in war.”
In an analysis piece of Walz’s military service record, Kessler denied the governor’s 2018 claim that he had handled weapons in a combat theater over his 24-year career in the U.S. Army National guard. The fact-checker confirmed to readers that there was no evidence he served in combat so he couldn’t have carried the weapons.
“He did carry weapons of war — just not in war,” Kessler declared.
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Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler refuted Gov. Tim Walz’s, D-Minn., 2018 claims that he once carried weapons “in war.” (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The governor made the heavily scrutinized claim in question during a 2018 town hall meeting where he advocated for gun control policies.
In a clip of the meeting, which the Harris campaign shared on social media earlier this week, Walz told an audience, “I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt… And I tell you what I have been doing. I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can do CDC research. We can make sure we don’t have reciprocal carry among states. And we can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at.”
Kessler’s piece, published on Friday, grilled Walz over the claim, stating, “There is no evidence that Walz served in combat — and he has not claimed he did. He did receive ribbons for proficiency in sharpshooting and hand grenades, according to military records obtained through an open records request by MPR News.”
The Washington Post fact-checker also noted that a Harris campaign spokesperson admitted that “the governor misspoke.”
I SERVED WITH TIM WALZ AS A REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE. HE’LL BE A GOOD VICE PRESIDENT
The arena scoreboard at the Liacouras Center, the site of Vice President Kamala Harris’ first rally with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 6, 2024 (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
When reached for comment, the Walz campaign provided the following statement to Fox News Digital.
“Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country — in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country,” the statement said. “It’s the American way. 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.”
Kessler rendered his final assessment of Walz’s words, saying, “Walz’s language was sloppy and false. He did carry weapons of war — just not in war.”
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Kessler was hardly the first to go after Walz on this claim. Throughout the week, the campaign’s political opponents, social media critics, and even liberal media networks called it out.
GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance led the Republican attacks on Walz’s “in war” claims.
He asked on Wednesday, “Well, I wonder, Tim Walz, when were you ever in war? When was this? What was this weapon that you carried into war?” He then went on to say that Walz “has not spent a day in a combat zone.”
CNN correspondent Tom Foreman fact-checked the line on Wednesday, saying there “is no evidence that at any time Governor Walz was in the position of being shot at, and some of his language could easily be seen to suggest that he was. So that is absolutely false when he said that about gun rights out there.”
Deputies shot an armed suspect in the parking lot of a Walmart store in Leesburg, Virginia, late Tuesday morning, authorities say.
Detectives, deputies and special agents from the FBI had tracked the suspect down after he tried to rob the Bank of America at Dulles Crossing on Monday, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said. The suspect, who still hasn’t been named, didn’t get any money before taking off from the bank.
Authorities found the suspect was parked at the back of the Walmart parking lot just before noon Tuesday.
Deputies pulled up behind the suspect’s blue sedan at the back of the Walmart parking lot about 11:40 a.m. Tuesday. As they approached, the suspect got out with a gun, Sheriff Mike Chapman said.
Deputies then fired their guns at the suspect, hitting him. Chapman did not say how many times the suspect was shot or give specific information about his injuries.
Medics took the suspect to a hospital.
No deputies were injured, the sheriff’s office said.
Chapman said it was too early in the investigation to say if the suspect fired his gun or how many officers were involved in the shooting.
Stay with News4 for updates to this developing story.
Steve Deitz walks with the energy of a coach; however, he does not hide that he and his team are digital nerds and storytellers who specialize in large-scale visual content and software development. More specifically, the 48-year-old makes a living creating the wow factor at his agency, “900lbs.”
“We started the company working for the Dallas Mavericks, telling large-scale visual content on the Jumbotron, and next thing you know, Activision, Blizzard calls,” he said. “We get to work in the Perot Museum on the biggest exhibit in the museum, and then fast-forward another 12 years, and here we are now.”
His current project is wrapping up in the nation’s capital — sorta. Since Dec.31, projections of America’s story have been given to his agency.
“We’re telling the story of the 250-year birthday of America in the biggest way possible on the facade of the Washington Monument on all four sides,” Deitz said.
He said they started testing out the results a couple of nights before New Year’s Eve. Scenes from Thomas Edison’s light bulb, the Empire State Building, the Model T Ford, and the Industrial Revolution, to name a few, are projected onto the Washington Monument.
Deitz gives his team a ton of credit from the moment he received the call about the project. He also thinks back to the times when he was an athlete who loved to draw in Merkel, Texas. The kid who dared to dream beyond the city limits and outside of the box. The CEO is giving advice to that child who may need a little inspiration.
“Hard work, perseverance, dedication, surround yourself with a team of brilliant people that are way smarter than you, and do the best you possibly can,” he said.
Deitz said there is a likelihood his team’s creations will return to the nation’s capital this year.
It is not the way any homicide squad wants to start an already busy new year.
Prince George’s County police Sunday were trying to figure out who was found dead in a car behind a strip center overnight and why. Police, who responded after a call about gun shots, told News4 they’re still searching for the most basic details.
It comes just a day after three people were shot and killed at a Temple Hills banquet hall early Saturday morning. Police told News4 that investigation is active and showing signs of promise.
But the busy start somewhat hides the bigger picture about crime in the area.
Despite the tough start to 2026, homicide in Prince George’s County was down 40% in 2025 percent compared to 2024, and violent crime on a whole was down 19%, both through mid-December according to Prince George’s County police.
In D.C. is a similar story.
“Now we have no crime in Washington, DC. We have no killing,” said President Donald Trump Saturday during a news conference about action in Venezuela.
While the crime rate is not nearly as good as Trump has repeatedly said, the District recorded five homicides in December and 126 in all of 2025. That’s down 32% over 2024. Violent crime is down 29%, according to D.C .police crime statistics.
In Fairfax, homicide is down 14% — but the county only had 12 total — and violent crime dropped 4%, according to the county’s online reporting.
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