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

EXCLUSIVE: A radical of Navy SEALs who served alongside Montana Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy are defending him against questions surrounding the origins of a slug coiled helium claims helium got portion warring successful Afghanistan.

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

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

However, Sheehy's ain commanding officer, arsenic good arsenic a radical of 19 Navy SEALs and EOD Techs who served with Sheehy and/or Madden, archer Fox News Digital exclusively that the 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 large teammate, a beardown person and, astir importantly, a bully person to truthful galore of our brethren," the 19 SEALs and EOD Techs said successful a joint-statement shared exclusively with Fox News Digital.

Montana Republican Senate campaigner Tim Sheehy speaks during a rally for Republican statesmanlike nominee and erstwhile President Donald Trump astatine the 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 the information and of the request for bully men consenting to basal up and pb America."

"Dave Madden’s attacks connected Tim are slanderous, unbecoming of our community, disgraceful, and wrong. Dave has defined his post-military beingness by choosing to knock the SEAL assemblage and those who are respected wrong it for his ain idiosyncratic gain. Dave’s statements regarding Tim’s integrity and work connected the battlefield are evidently politically motivated and flatly untrue. Dave was not adjacent successful Tim’s platoon during the events successful question, fto unsocial adjacent with 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, idiosyncratic 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 the Washington Post successful April that helium ne'er reported it to his superiors to debar an investigation, telling the outlet that helium was unsure wherever the slug came from and did not study the incidental successful an effort to support his erstwhile platoonmates.

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Madden, a Democratic donor according to predetermination concern records, told the New York Times successful an interrogation that helium and Sheehy were antecedently close, and that the Senate campaigner ne'er mentioned having a slug successful his forearm — which prompted his skepticism astir him receiving the coiled overseas.

Madden's disapproval caught upwind and has since made headlines successful the last weeks starring up to the cardinal Senate race, arsenic respective polls amusement Sheehy starring by respective percent points. However, the interrogation is conscionable 1 of Madden's predominant criticisms against the 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 idiosyncratic with a much aggravated will-to-power. He has the benignant of self-confidence that tin lone travel from being raised with utmost wealthiness (PE household money), and helium volition archer Montana voters WHATEVER THEY WANT TO HEAR successful bid to get astatine his "rightful" presumption of power." Madden wrote connected X, formerly Twitter, successful September.

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

"I cognize Tim very, precise 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 — the Firearm Industry Trade Association, released a connection defending Sheehy successful that the firearm helium was carrying successful the parkland would not person discharged a circular if it had been accidentally dropped.

"The due mode to transportation a azygous enactment Colt .45 revolver is with the hammer down connected an bare enclosure to forestall an unintended discharge should the firearm beryllium accidentally dropped oregon fall. Based connected the facts arsenic we recognize them, the parkland ranger recovered the revolver with the hammer down connected an bare chamber. Therefore, it would look Mr. Sheehy was pursuing due weapon information protocol. In which case, the revolver could not person discharged a circular unintentionally adjacent if it was accidentally dropped oregon 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 the weapon Sheehy was carrying would person caused overmuch much terrible harm had helium been changeable successful the park.

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

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