The Trump campaign has recently come under scrutiny for its attacks on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's military record, drawing comparisons to the controversial 'swift boating' campaign from 20 years ago against John Kerry. This tactic, which accuses political opponents of lying about their military service, is being spearheaded by Trump campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita.
LaCivita previously played a significant role in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth group, which famously questioned John Kerry's military service during the 2004 presidential campaign. Now, it seems that the Trump campaign is employing a similar strategy as Vice President Kamala Harris selected Walz, a 24-year Army National Guard veteran, as her running mate.
It is worth noting that neither Harris nor Trump have served in the military themselves. However, Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who is a Marine veteran, wasted no time in targeting Walz's military service. Vance accused Walz of abandoning his unit before its deployment to Iraq in 2006 and of falsely claiming to have served in a war zone.
During a campaign event, Vance criticized Walz, stating, 'When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.' These allegations have sparked a heated debate surrounding Walz's military service and have raised questions about the ethics of attacking a candidate's military record for political gain.
