JD Vance chides CNN anchor for ‘imperfect messenger’ quip on military records

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) criticized CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Thursday for saying he was an “imperfect messenger” when it comes to attacking Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s (D) military record.

Keilar on CNN’s “Inside Politics” discussed the ongoing debate about Walz’s military record since he was chosen this week to join Vice President Harris on the Democratic ticket. She noted Vance’s title was “combat correspondent” during his deployment as a Marine in Iraq.

“But when you dig a little deeper into that, he was a public affairs specialist, someone who did not see combat, which certainly the title ‘combat correspondent’ kind of gives you a different impression. So he may be the imperfect messenger on that,” Keilar said.

Luis Agostini, a public information officer at the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Chicago office, called out Keilar for the comments in a post on the social platform X. Vance responded to Agostini’s thread, saying it was “shameful” for Keiler to slander an “entire MOS,” or Military Occupational Specialty.

“It’s easy to sit in the comfort and safety of a @CNN studio and trivialize the service of countless men and women who risked their lives,” Vance wrote.

The Hill has asked CNN about Vance’s criticism.

Mediaite noted Keilar is a military spouse herself; her husband is an active-duty Green Beret. She questioned Vance’s ability to go after Walz, who served 24 years in the National Guard.

“But then at the same time, you have this argument going on where it seems to be, ‘Did you really serve your country if you weren’t shot at a lot?’” she said. “And I just think that’s a very, kind of, gross place to be, because there is so much service and sacrifice that goes on in the military.”

Walz and Vance are the first veterans on national tickets since then-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) ran for president in 2008, and would be the first veteran to serve as president or vice president since President George W. Bush, a former lieutenant in the Texas Air National Guard. 

Vance has accused Walz of “stolen valor” amid Republicans attacks on Walz allegedly inflating his rank in retirement and claiming that he carried a weapon in war, when he hasn’t actually served in combat.

“I wonder, Tim Walz, when were you ever in war?” Vance said at a campaign stop in Michigan on Wednesday. “He has not spent a day in a combat zone. … I’d be ashamed if I was him and I lied about my military service like he did.”