The Trump campaign is employing a familiar strategy in its attacks on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's military record, reminiscent of the "swift boating" campaign used against John Kerry two decades ago. The campaign, led by co-manager Chris LaCivita, is questioning Walz’s service in the Army National Guard, much like the 2004 effort that accused Kerry of lying about his Vietnam War service.
Chris LaCivita, who played a crucial role in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign, is once again at the forefront, this time targeting Walz after Vice President Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate. Walz, a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard, has been accused by Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, of abandoning his unit before it deployed to Iraq in 2006 and falsely claiming he served in a war zone.
Vance, a Marine veteran, criticized Walz during a campaign stop, alleging that Walz "dropped out of the Army" to avoid deployment. However, Walz filed to run for Congress in 2005, before his unit was notified of potential deployment to Iraq. He had previously deployed with the Minnesota National Guard to Italy in support of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, but not to a war zone, according to a Minnesota Guard spokesperson.
The attacks on Walz echo Trump's typical approach of personal attacks against political opponents, drawing parallels to the effort to discredit Kerry's military record in 2004. LaCivita, in an interview with RealClearPolitics, even linked Walz and Kerry, saying, "Birds of a feather will be tarred together."
Despite these similarities, there are key differences. Walz is running as the vice-presidential nominee, and military service is not as central an issue in the 2024 campaign as it was in 2004 when President George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq was a key factor. Moreover, the current attacks on Walz are coming directly from the Trump campaign, rather than an outside group.
Vance, who served as an enlisted combat correspondent and deployed to Iraq, has led the charge against Walz, accusing him of "stolen valor" over statements he made in 2018 about his military experience. Walz has defended his service, stating that he spent 24 years in the Army National Guard, training others to use "weapons of war."
The Harris campaign responded to the attacks by emphasizing Walz's service and thanking Vance for his own military contribution. Walz has faced similar criticisms in the past, notably during his first congressional campaign in 2006 and in his gubernatorial runs in 2018 and 2022.
At a recent news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump criticized Walz on issues related to transgender rights and border security but did not heavily amplify the military-related attacks. However, Trump did share a video from Fox News’ Sean Hannity questioning Walz’s service record on social media, suggesting the campaign’s strategy is far from over.
