SEAL Team commander blasts 'misguided and wrong' claims contradicting Senate candidate's bullet wound

EXCLUSIVE: A group of Navy SEALs who served alongside Montana Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy are defending him against questions surrounding nan origins of a slug coiled he claims he sewage while fighting successful Afghanistan.

Sheehy, who is moving to unseat Democrat Sen. Jon Tester, went to nan emergency room aft a reported autumn successful Montana's Glacier National Park successful 2015. During nan visit, Sheehy reportedly was asked astir a slug coiled successful his arm, telling a National Park ranger that he had accidentally changeable himself pinch a Colt .45 revolver while successful nan parkland — but Sheehy later revealed during his run that he really suffered nan wounded while serving in Afghanistan successful 2012.

The communicative precocious resurfaced aft Dave Madden, a longtime Democratic philanthropist who served pinch Sheehy, told nan New York Times nan Republican campaigner was lying astir his slug coiled during his clip successful nan Navy.

However, Sheehy's ain commanding officer, arsenic good arsenic a group of 19 Navy SEALs and EOD Techs who served pinch Sheehy and/or Madden, show Fox News Digital exclusively that nan claims attempting to contradict Sheehy's slug coiled are "disgraceful."

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"Tim Sheehy’s estimation arsenic a SEAL is 1 of excellence and bravery. He was a awesome teammate, a beardown leader and, astir importantly, a bully friend to truthful galore of our brethren," nan 19 SEALs and EOD Techs said successful a joint-statement shared exclusively pinch Fox News Digital.

Montana Republican Senate campaigner Tim Sheehy speaks during a rally for Republican statesmanlike nominee and erstwhile President Donald Trump astatine nan Brick Breeden Fieldhouse astatine Montana State University connected Aug. 9, 2024 successful Bozeman, Montana. (Michael Ciaglo)

The SEALS added that their connection was not a governmental endorsement, but alternatively an "endorsement of nan truth and of nan request for bully men consenting to guidelines up and lead America."

"Dave Madden’s attacks connected Tim are slanderous, unbecoming of our community, disgraceful, and wrong. Dave has defined his post-military life by choosing to knock nan SEAL organization and those who are respected wrong it for his ain individual gain. Dave’s statements regarding Tim’s integrity and work connected nan battlefield are evidently politically motivated and flatly untrue. Dave was not moreover successful Tim’s platoon during nan events successful question, fto unsocial adjacent pinch Tim, and his self-serving lies are pathetic."

The commanding serviceman of some Sheehy and Madden besides defended Sheehy against critics. 

"Tim Sheehy’s estimation arsenic a SEAL is 1 of full dedication, individual sacrifice, and bravery. Dave Madden’s statements astir Tim are disgraceful, misguided, and wrong," Mike Hayes, retired CDR and Commanding Officer of SEAL Team 2, told Fox News Digital.

Tim Sheehy for Senate Campaign (Tim Sheehy for Senate Campaign)

Sheehy told nan Washington Post successful April that he ne'er reported it to his superiors to debar an investigation, telling nan outlet that he was unsure wherever nan slug came from and did not study nan incident successful an effort to protect his erstwhile platoonmates.

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Madden, a Democratic philanthropist according to predetermination finance records, told nan New York Times successful an question and reply that he and Sheehy were antecedently close, and that nan Senate campaigner ne'er mentioned having a slug successful his forearm — which prompted his skepticism astir him receiving nan coiled overseas.

Madden's disapproval caught upwind and has since made headlines successful nan last weeks starring up to nan cardinal Senate race, arsenic respective polls show Sheehy starring by respective percent points. However, nan question and reply is conscionable 1 of Madden's predominant criticisms against nan Senate campaigner via societal media.

"Tim was a amended SEAL than I was, but that doesn't mean he's *moral*. I've seldom met personification pinch a much aggravated will-to-power. He has nan benignant of self-confidence that tin only travel from being raised pinch utmost wealthiness (PE family money), and he will show Montana voters WHATEVER THEY WANT TO HEAR successful bid to get astatine his "rightful" position of power." Madden wrote connected X, formerly Twitter, successful September.

Sheehy is moving against Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, for nan Montana Senate seat. (Tom Williams/Getty Images)

"I cognize Tim very, very well, and I’m gladsome you’re not voting for him," different station made successful January read.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Madden for comment.

NSSF — nan Firearm Industry Trade Association, released a connection defending Sheehy successful that nan firearm he was carrying successful nan parkland would not person discharged a information if it had been accidentally dropped.

"The due measurement to transportation a azygous action Colt .45 revolver is pinch nan hammer down connected an quiet enclosure to forestall an unintended discharge should nan firearm beryllium accidentally dropped aliases fall. Based connected nan facts arsenic we understand them, nan parkland ranger recovered nan revolver pinch nan hammer down connected an quiet chamber. Therefore, it would look Mr. Sheehy was pursuing due weapon information protocol. In which case, nan revolver could not person discharged a information unintentionally moreover if it was accidentally dropped aliases fell," said Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for NSSF.

Republican campaigner for senator, Tim Sheehy, speaks astatine a rally supporting erstwhile President and Republican statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump (R) successful Bozeman, Montana, connected Aug. 9, 2024. (Natalie Behring/AFP via Getty Images)

The NSSF added that nan weapon Sheehy was carrying would person caused overmuch much terrible harm had he been changeable successful nan park.

"A point-blank discharge of a Colt .45 information would person caused extended – and evident – harm to Mr. Sheehy’s limb and would person required contiguous aesculapian attention, perchance including surgery, of nan gunshot wound. If Mr. Sheehy were really changeable astatine Glacier arsenic is alleged, it is unimaginable he would locomotion retired of nan infirmary conscionable a fewer hours later. For these reasons, we judge nan allegation, arsenic reported by nan media, that Tim Sheehy’s azygous action Colt .45 revolver discharged erstwhile it fell aliases was dropped striking him successful his limb is mendacious and inaccurate."

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"In smearing Tim Sheehy’s subject record, Democrats and nan media are dusting off a well-worn governmental playbook they developed during nan Trump-era," National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Communications Director Mike Berg, said successful a statement. "They are ignoring nan facts and trotting retired left-wing partisans pinch chaotic last-minute claims to smear Sheehy earlier he has a chance to respond. The strategies being utilized against Tim Sheehy echo those employed against Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh. Montanans should cull these disgusting left-wing tactics."