Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has accused former President Donald Trump of playing a role in preventing the passage of a border security bill. Walz has also faced scrutiny over his military service record, which he has defended amidst Republican criticism.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has accused former President Donald Trump of allegedly interfering in efforts to pass a border security bill. The allegation surfaced during the first and only vice presidential debate on Tuesday, where Walz faced off against Republican candidate Sen. JD Vance.
Walz claimed that Trump "shut down" a bipartisan bill that would have provided funding for border security measures, including physical barriers and technology. He asserted that the bill had the support of both Democrats and Republicans, but was ultimately blocked by Trump's administration.
Walz Accuses Trump of Blocking Border Bill, Raises Doubts About Military Service
"We had a bipartisan bill that would have strengthened our border security, but President Trump shut it down," Walz said during the debate. "He put politics ahead of our national security."
Trump has not publicly responded to Walz's accusation. However, some members of his former administration have denied the claim, saying that Trump was open to supporting a border security bill that met his requirements.
Walz Accuses Trump of Blocking Border Bill, Raises Doubts About Military Service
Despite the high-profile nature of the debate, Walz was not asked about his military service, which has been a subject of controversy. Republicans and some veterans have accused Walz of embellishing his service record, particularly with regard to his involvement in the Tiananmen Square protests in China.
Walz has maintained that his account of his military service is accurate. During the debate, he briefly mentioned his service when correcting the record on his presence in China during the Tiananmen Square protests. He also referred to himself as a "good soldier" in response to a question about his qualifications for the vice presidency.
Walz Accuses Trump of Blocking Border Bill, Raises Doubts About Military Service
The CBS Vice Presidential Debate featured an attempt at live fact-checking, which led to moderator intervention on several occasions. In one instance, moderator Margaret Brennan corrected Vance after he suggested that illegal immigrants were overwhelming resources in Springfield, Ohio.
"Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio, does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status, temporary protected status," Brennan said.
Walz Accuses Trump of Blocking Border Bill, Raises Doubts About Military Service
When Vance attempted to push back on the fact-check, Brennan and her co-moderator Norah O'Donnell spoke over him, insisting that they had to move on to the next question.
"The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact-check," Vance reminded them. "And since you are fact-checking me, I think it's important to say what's actually going on."
The moderators again spoke over Vance, thanking him for "describing the legal process" before cutting off his microphone as Walz attempted to argue with him.
Democrats quickly came out in support of Walz's debate performance, praising his ability to articulate facts and attack Vance on immigration. Republicans, on the other hand, expressed support for Vance, citing his willingness to challenge Walz on issues such as illegal immigration and his military service record.
The debate was widely seen as a missed opportunity by some political analysts, who argued that neither candidate fully capitalized on their time to make a strong impression on undecided voters. The only vice presidential debate of the 2024 general election, it remains to be seen whether the event will have a significant impact on the outcome of the presidential race.
