In a scathing critique of the Republican presidential ticket, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg accused Donald Trump and JD Vance of being unmatched in what he referred to as "the Olympics of lying." Buttigieg's comments came in response to Ohio Senator Vance's criticism of Tim Walz, the newly announced running mate of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, for misstating his military service in a 2018 interview.

During an appearance on CNN's State of the Union, Buttigieg criticized Vance, a former Marine Corps journalist, for disparaging Walz's military record both at a recent rally and on the show itself. Buttigieg pointed out the irony of Vance suddenly emphasizing precision in speech and honesty while running with Trump, who has a notorious reputation for falsehoods. Buttigieg highlighted a recent press conference where fact-checkers estimated that Trump had made 162 distortions or lies, remarking that such a staggering number was akin to participating in the "Olympics of lying."

Known for his eloquent takedowns of Republican political positions, Buttigieg, a former intelligence officer in the US Navy Reserve, called out Vance's criticism of another veteran, stating it went against the principles he had learned during his time in the service. Buttigieg also defended Walz's occasional slip-up in the 2018 interview, emphasizing that it was an exception in an otherwise precise and accurate record.

Vance, on the other hand, clarified that his criticism was not directed towards Walz's military service but rather towards his alleged deceit for political gain. He labeled Walz's behavior as scandalous and stood by his initial critique.

In response, the Harris-Walz campaign released a statement expressing gratitude for Vance's service to the country while asserting that Walz would never undermine anyone's service. The statement also drew attention to Walz's belief that only trained military personnel should have access to weapons of war, in contrast to the Trump-Vance ticket's prioritization of the gun lobby over the safety of children.

Buttigieg, in addition to condemning Vance's derogatory commentary towards senior Democrats, particularly termed as "childless cat ladies," called out Vance's attempt to backtrack on his statements. Vance had clarified that he was criticizing people for being "anti-child" rather than for not having children. Buttigieg criticized Vance's dishonesty and his tendency to discredit those who disagreed with him, pointing out that he seemed incapable of offering a vision for the country that focused on uplifting and empowering people.

The exchange between Buttigieg and Vance highlights the escalating tensions between the opposing presidential tickets as the campaign season moves forward. With both sides launching fierce criticisms, the upcoming election promises to be a highly contentious battle of words and ideologies.