After Attack From JD Vance, CNN’s Brianna Keilar Argues Attacking Military Service Hurts All Vets

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar called on Republicans and Democrats to stop questioning the service records of vice presidential candidates Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) a day after the Ohio senator accused her of attempting to “trivialize” his military service.

During the network’s coverage of the 2024 campaign on Thursday, Keilar said Vance might not have been the best “messenger” to question the 24-year National Guard record of the Minnesota governor . Walz has been attacked by Vance and others for allegedly ducking combat by retiring in 2005, months before his unit was told to deploy to the Middle East.

Vance and others have accused the Democratic governor of “stolen valor” for not previously clarifying he never served in an active combat zone.

On CNN’s Inside Politics Thursday, Keilar asked, “At what point did military service become a liability? I also think that JD Vance as a messenger on this may be an imperfect messenger.” She added:

You introduced him as a combat correspondent, which was what his title was, 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… at the same time, then you have this argument going on where it seems to be, “Did you really serve your country unless you were shot at a lot?” 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.

Vance responded by sharing a clip of Keilar’s comments and taking a shot at her.

On Friday, Keilar – whose husband is an active-duty Green Beret – delivered a monologue on military service in which she praised Walz and Vance and hit those she said were politicizing the armed forces . Keilar said:

Informed observers connected to politics or the military, myself included, have noted that the Trump campaign is swift-boating Tim Walz. Attacks on JD Vance’s service are also offensive. JD Vance served honorably in Iraq – a combat zone where anything can happen and frequently does. As he said in his book, he was, “Lucky to escape any real fighting.” That doesn’t make his service less than. He says luck is often what makes the difference in a combat zone or even a training mission that today is not your day. In a country where so few shoulder the burden military service should not be a liability, it should be an asset.

And despite our recent years as a country at war, many service members haven’t seen combat. That doesn’t make them or their service less admirable or less necessary, nor does retiring from the National Guard after 24 years. These kinds of attacks from the left or the right diminish the service of so many others who have served honorably, who sacrifice time away from family, who put themselves in harm’s way because the military is made up largely of JD Vances and Tim Walz’s there are two veterans on these presidential tickets. Two enlisted veterans at that. They have unique insight into what America’s men and women in the armed forces and their families have been through and need and shouldn’t that be the focus?

This is a presidential race for commander-in-chief and so often that candidate or their running mate has never personally served, even as they vie to make decisions about sending people into dangerous situations. The fact that this year they do matters to a lot of people. It matters to me in a family where we’re raising two boys who idolize their dad’s military service, two boys who are significantly more likely to serve because their dad did. And if they choose that path it matters to have someone at the table who knows what that sacrifice means.

Watch above via CNN.