CNN anchor walks back comments on JD Vance's military service following pushback

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar seemingly walked back remarks about GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance's military service after receiving pushback.

"Informed observers connected to politics or the military, myself included, have noted that the Trump campaign is 'swiftboating' Tim Walz," Keilar said during her monologue on Friday. "JD Vance served honorably in Iraq, a combat zone where anything can happen and frequently does. As he said in his book, he was, quote, ‘lucky to escape any real fighting.’ That doesn't make his service less than. ‘Lucky,’ he says. And luck is often what makes the difference in a combat zone or even a training mission. That today is not your day." 

On Thursday, Keilar suggested that Vance "may be an imperfect messenger" to criticize Walz, since he didn't see combat.

"Because we have, as you introduced him, as a combat correspondent, which was what [Vance's] title was," Keilar said to her CNN colleague Dana Bash, according to Fox News. "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."

Vance responded to Keilar's comments on the social media platform, X.

"Brianna this is disgusting, and you and your entire network should be ashamed of yourselves," he said. "When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went. Tim Walz said he carried a gun in a war. Did he? No. It was a lie."

Vance explained on Wednesday that while he did serve in a combat zone, he didn't see a firefight. 

The Minnesota National Guard confirmed Wednesday that Walz was demoted and did not retire as a command sergeant major like he has claimed for years, including in his official gubernatorial biography.