Rep. Troy Nehls Fumes About Media ‘Vultures’ While Finally Removing Military Pin His GOP Colleagues Called Out as ‘Stolen Valor’

AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) is lashing out after he finally gave in to increasing pressure to stop wearing a military pin he did not earn, complaining about the “vultures” in the media.

The controversy started earlier this year after CBS News reported that the congressman’s “Combat Infantryman Badge from Afghanistan was revoked from his service record in March 2023 because Nehls served as a civil affairs officer, not as an infantryman or Special Forces soldier,” but yet he still continued to “wear a lapel pin for infantrymen or Special Forces who fought in active combat.”

Nehls faced sharp criticism for wearing the pin, even from many of his Republican colleagues — some on the record — who called it “stolen valor” and called for him to stop wearing it.

The Texas Republican initially responded by complaining that “Big Army” was targeting him for being “Mr. MAGA Guy.” Earlier this month, however, the U.S. Army confirmed that Nehls was awarded the CIB by mistake, issuing a statement that during his deployment, he “served as an officer in the civil affairs branch,” and “[t]hat role does not qualify for the Combat Infantryman Badge.”

On Wednesday, Nehls launched a “lengthy” diatribe at reporters who approached him on Capitol Hill and confirmed he had stopped wearing the pin, reported Politico congressional reporter Anthony Adragna.

He blamed the media, saying that he had taken off the pin “because you guys are vultures,” wrote Adragna. “The American people know just how disgusting the media is — the dishonest media,” Nehls said. “I know what I’ve done, and I certainly don’t have to justify myself to you guys.”

“Now that I don’t wear that, what are you going to talk to me about?” he said. “You guys are gonna be bored out of your minds.”

The Politico report also noted Nehls was “wearing a tie of former President Donald Trump hugging the American flag and Trump’s gold sneakers.”

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