50 Republican veterans, many of whom are prominent members of Congress, have come together to publicly condemn Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, accusing him of misrepresenting his military service record.

The letter, which was shared by the Trump campaign, accuses Walz of repeatedly lying about his military background, calling into question his fitness for higher office.

Tim Walz has long touted his military service as a cornerstone of his political career, frequently highlighting his time in the National Guard during campaign stops and speeches. However, recent revelations indicate that Walz has lied about his service and falsely claimed achievements to bolster his political image.

The letter begins with a solemn reminder of the importance of the Vice Presidency, a role that requires unwavering trust and a deep commitment to the United States. “As veterans who have served our nation, we feel compelled to address your egregious misrepresentations and urge you to come clean to the American people,” the veterans wrote.

The signatories, led by Representative Brian Mast, Chair of Veterans and Military Families for Trump, expressed their outrage over Walz’s alleged claims of being a “Retired Command Sergeant Major” and his assertions of carrying weapons “in war.” According to the letter, Walz did not complete the requirements for such a rank and had not served in combat as he claimed.

The veterans concluded their letter with a direct challenge to Walz, demanding that he admit to lying and acknowledge the truth about his military service.

Read the full letter below:

The Office of the Vice President is a position that requires the trust of the American people and a solemn commitment to duty on behalf of the United States of America. As veterans who have served our nation, we feel compelled to address your egregious misrepresentations and urge you to come clean to the American people.

You have stated that you are “damn proud” of your service, and like any American veteran, you should be. But there is no honor in lying about the nature of your service. Repeatedly claiming to be a “Retired Command Sergeant Major” when you did not complete the requirements was not honorable.

Nor was it honorable to claim to carry weapons “in war” when you had not served in war, and abandoning the men and women under your leadership just as they were getting ready to deploy was certainly not honorable either.

To be blunt, when you falsely claim military service that did not happen and abandon your post, you diminish the real sacrifices made by veterans who did serve in combat. Military service is not merely a job or a uniform. Those who serve in the Armed Forces endure rigorous training, face perilous situations, and make sacrifices that most civilians can’t comprehend.

The honor of wearing the uniform is earned through dedication, bravery, and an unwavering sense of duty. You have displayed none of these characteristics as you have lied your way through a political career launched on the foundation of a title you did not earn and combat deployments you did not take part in.

In short, our grave concern stems from the fact that the office of the Vice President is one heartbeat away from becoming the Commander-In-Chief. You’ve already demonstrated your unwillingness to lead in time of war and a lack of honor through your blatant misrepresentations exploiting and co-opting the experiences of America’s combat veterans for personal gain.

As a result, America’s veterans and servicemembers are rightfully concerned about what would happen to them should you ascend to the Presidency. When America asked you to lead your troops into War, you turned your back on your troops. You have violated the trust of our brothers and sisters in arms.

Their blood, sweat, and sacrifice are the only reason our nation is able to exist. Until you admit you lied to them, there is no way you can be trusted to serve as Vice President.

Sincerely,

• Brian Mast, Chair of Veterans and Military Families for Trump;
• U.S. Representative (FL-21); U.S. Army
• Joni Ernst, U.S. Senator (IA); Army National Guard
• Roger Marshall, U.S. Senator (KS); U.S. Army Reserve
• Rick Scott, U.S. Senator (FL); U.S. Navy
• Roger Wicker, U.S. Senator (MS); U.S. Air Force Reserve
• Brian Babin, U.S. Representative (TX-36); U.S. Air Force
• Don Bacon, U.S. Representative (NE-02); U.S. Air Force
• Jim Baird, U.S. Representative (IN-04); U.S. Army
• Jim Banks, U.S. Representative (IN-03); U.S. Navy Reserve
• Jack Bergman, U.S. Representative (MI-01); U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
• Mike Bost, U.S. Representative (IL-12); U.S. Marine Corps
• Mike Carey, U.S. Representative (OH-15); U.S. Army Reserve
• Eli Crane, U.S. Representative (AZ-02); U.S. Navy
• Warren Davidson, U.S. Representative (OH-08); U.S. Army
• Neal Dunn, U.S. Representative (FL-02); U.S. Army
• Jake Ellzey, U.S. Representative (TX-06); U.S. Navy
• Pat Fallon, U.S. Representative (TX-04); U.S. Air Force
• Scott Fitzgerald, U.S. Representative (WI-05); U.S. Army Reserve
• Scott Franklin, U.S. Representative (FL-18); U.S. Navy
• Tony Gonzales, U.S. Representative (TX-23), U.S. Navy
• Mark Green, U.S. Representative (TN-07); U.S. Army
• Brett Guthrie, U.S. Representative (KY-02); U.S. Army
• Clay Higgins, U.S. Representative (LA-03); Army National Guard
• Wesley Hunt, U.S. Representative (TX-38); U.S. Army
• Darrell Issa, U.S. Representative (CA-48); U.S. Army
• Ronny Jackson, U.S. Representative (TX-13); U.S. Navy
• Jen Kiggans, U.S. Representative (VA-02); U.S. Navy
• Nick LaLota, U.S. Representative (NY-01); U.S. Navy
• Greg Lopez, U.S. Representative (CO-04); U.S. Air Force
• Barry Loudermilk, U.S. Representative (GA-11); U.S. Air Force
• Anna Paulina Luna, U.S. Representative (FL-13); U.S. Air Force
• Rich McCormick, U.S. Representative (GA-06); U.S. Navy
• Max Miller, U.S. Representative (OH-07); U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
• Mariannette Miller-Meeks, U.S. Representative (IA-01); U.S. Army
• Cory Mills, U.S. Representative (FL-07); U.S. Army
• Barry Moore, U.S. Representative (AL-02); Army National Guard
• Troy Nehls, U.S. Representative (TX-22); U.S. Army Reserve
• Zach Nunn, U.S. Representative (IA-03); U.S. Air Force Reserve
• Scott Perry, U.S. Representative (PA-10); Army National Guard
• August Pfluger, U.S. Representative (TX-11); U.S. Air Force
• Guy Reschenthaler, U.S. Representative (PA-14); U.S. Navy
• Hal Rogers, U.S. Representative (KY-05); Army National Guard
• Keith Self, U.S. Representative (TX-03); U.S. Army
• Gregory Steube, U.S. Representative (FL-17); U.S. Army
• William Timmons, U.S. Representative (SC-04); Air National Guard
• Derrick Van Orden, U.S. Representative (WI-03); U.S. Navy
• Michael Waltz, U.S. Representative (FL-06); Army National Guard
• Brandon Williams, U.S. Representative (NY-22); U.S. Navy
• Joe Wilson, U.S. Representative (SC-02); Army National Guard
• Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative (MT-01); U.S. Navy