Latest news with #TimKennedy
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
UFC vet Tim Kennedy reportedly under investigation after admitting to lying about military service record
UFC veteran Tim Kennedy admitted in a social media post on Monday to fabricating a part of his U.S. Army history, previously claiming to have received a Bronze Star Medal with Valor. The National Guard Green Beret is now reportedly under investigation following the news coming to light. Kennedy, 45, spoke out after Army and Pentagon authorities began receiving questioning from reports about inconsistencies in his service record, first highlighted by YouTubers within the veteran community. Kennedy's claims initially came from a July 2017 episode of "The American Warrior Show," when he answered yes to a question about having earned a Bronze Star for Valor. I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake. Over the years, I made public statements and gave interviews in which I unintentionally misstated aspects of my military service. Most notably, I implied directly or indirectly that I had been awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. That is not true, and there is no excuse for it. I never received that honor, and I deeply regret ever suggesting otherwise. That kind of recognition is sacred. It represents extraordinary courage under fire acts that risk or cost lives. To those who truly earned it, and to their families and brothers-in-arms, I offer my sincere and direct apology. What I said disrespected your service, and I take full ownership of that. I was young when I stepped into the public eye, and while I wasn't prepared for the scrutiny or pressure that came with it, that doesn't absolve me. I should have known better. Integrity is not situational, and I failed to uphold the standards I claimed to represent. To the military and veteran community, especially those who've served in combat or lost people they love. I am deeply sorry. I know I've let many of you down. You had every right to expect more from me, and I didn't live up to that. This apology is not the end, it's the beginning. I am committed to rebuilding trust through honest reflection, visible accountability, and ongoing service to the community I misrepresented myself to. I will no longer speak about my service in a way that elevates me beyond what I actually did. From now on, my words will be guided by truth, humility, and respect. I understand that words alone don't heal disappointment or restore trust. Only time and action will. Thank you to those who have held me accountable. I will do my best to honor that accountability from this point forward. Advertisement Speaking to Major Benjamin Hughes, a Guard spokesperson, responded to Kennedy's admission with the following statement. The Maryland National Guard takes these matters seriously. Integrity is a core value of our organization, so an investigation is currently underway to review the facts surrounding these public misstatements. Although Kennedy never earned the Bronze Star for Valor, he was given a 2006 Bronze Star by the Army for "exceptional leadership" in his planning of combat operations within his role as a junior noncommissioned officer. Per Army and Pentagon officials noted that Kennedy caught their attention as he continued to rise in notoriety throughout the veteran community. Specifically, his praise for Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer and General Randy George became a point of frustration. Multiple Army and Pentagon officials told that his role as a cheerleader for Weimer and George has frustrated much of the service's public affairs apparatus, which viewed his overt Republican partisanship and exaggerated record as a liability. With Kennedy currently a consistent speaker at public events, there has yet to be any action taken against having him continuing doing so. The former UFC middleweight hasn't commented on the situation since his initial statement and has yet to face any repercussions. Advertisement "Everyone thought this was a terrible idea," one Army official said to referring to senior service leaders using Kennedy as an unofficial spokesperson. "There is no shortage of awesome soldiers we could have found to deliver the same messages." Kennedy retired from MMA in January 2017 after a third-round knockout loss to Kelvin Gastelum. The fight was his first after a two-year layoff following his infamous Yoel Romero bout at UFC 178. Kennedy currently serves with Special Operations Detachment-O, a small National Guard unit based outside Baltimore that liaises with NATO special operations forces. He is a part-time master sergeant.
Politico
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Buffalo Newspaper Guild event canceled after threats against cartoonist
In the cartoon, a man submerged in the water wearing a MAGA hat held up a sign that said 'help.' A floating text box in the water read 'gov't is the problem not the solution.' 'Tomorrow's lines… that argument's gone in a flash,' Zyglis captioned an Instagram post sharing the cartoon. This cartoon attracted some attention in conservative media, with Fox News running an article and a White House spokesperson saying it was 'shameful and disgusting' in a statement. Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-N.Y.), who represents Buffalo, condemned the threats in a post on X, saying the cartoonist 'uses his art to challenge, question, and inspire,' and 'threats of violence against journalists are an attack on all of us.' And Michael Kracker, the chair of the Republican Party of Erie County — where Buffalo is located — said that he agrees that Zyglis should not be harassed and threatened but called the cartoon 'vile' and 'hurtful.' 'We can and must respectfully condemn the Buffalo News for its shameful and heartless decision to publish a cartoon that disrespected the victims and families in Texas,' he said in a post on X. 'But do so with the respect and empathy the Buffalo News failed to.'
Business Insider
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
A top Green Beret influencer says he exaggerated his war story. The US military is investigating, and vets see a deeper problem.
Tim Kennedy, a Green Beret, former MMA fighter, and a recognizable figure in today's "Vet Bro" influencer culture, revealed this week that he had wrongly implied that he received a military award reserved only for battlefield bravery. The military is investigating. The award in question, a Bronze Star, was instead bestowed for commendable work performance, and not specifically courage during combat, a seemingly minor yet significant distinction for service members. The revelation has sparked backlash among veterans amid concerns that the damage of such exaggerations potentially goes beyond an overstated military service record. Kennedy has legions of online followers, and his ties to leading political circles have made him an increasingly influential figure. As veterans increasingly build personal brands on combat credibility, Kennedy's controversy highlights a deeper cultural rift, with tension between the trust society puts in vets, especially elite special operators, and the gray areas of self-promotion. While outright stolen valor has become much rarer than it once was, embellishments and inflated service claims have become more common in the influencer era, raising questions about accountability, authenticity, and the public's willingness to scrutinize military figures. Kennedy, a senior Green Beret with the Maryland National Guard, released a statement on social media Tuesday night in which he said that he "unintentionally misstated aspects" of his military service, that he "implied directly or indirectly" that he was awarded a Bronze Star with Valor. "I never received that honor, and I deeply regret ever suggesting otherwise," he said. "I will no longer speak about my service in a way that elevates me beyond what I actually did," the statement continued. "From now on, my words will be guided by truth, humility, and respect." A Bronze Star can be bestowed upon US troops for "merit" during wartime operations, not only battlefield "valor." Such merit could, for example, also be provided to support personnel or combat troops for noteworthy service absent heroics. The award with "valor" is usually considered much weightier than the meritorious version, which was commonly bestowed to troops throughout the wars. I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake. Over the years, I made public statements and gave interviews in which I unintentionally misstated aspects of my military service. Most notably, I implied directly or indirectly that I had been awarded the… — Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) July 9, 2025 Kennedy has previously pushed back against other veterans' pointed criticisms regarding his service record, saying "it's totally hypocritical and intellectually dishonest to be pretending that you're on the moral high ground and then misrepresenting facts, lying, paraphrasing, and then taking things out of context." Kennedy said that such scrutiny of his record likely generated lucrative traffic for podcasts critical of him. A copy of Kennedy's Bronze Star award citation provided to Business Insider Wednesday morning, weeks after BI submitted a public records request seeking Kennedy's award documents, reflects that the award was bestowed for "unmatched competence and sound judgement" for planning and executing combat operations in Iraq in 2006. "The Maryland National Guard takes these matters seriously," said unit spokesman Maj. Benjamin Hughes in a statement to BI Thursday morning. "Integrity is a core value of our organization, so an investigation is currently underway to review the facts surrounding these public misstatements." BI reached out to three companies associated with Kennedy, as well as his emails and social media accounts, seeking comment but did not receive a response. A personal phone number for Kennedy was not immediately available. "Vet Bro" influence Kennedy's statement on his service record comes as he has experienced a seemingly meteoric rise within the inner circles of Washington's elite. Over the past few months, he has appeared in the Oval Office and been seen hobnobbing with political leaders, including VA Secretary Dan Driscoll, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other Beltway heavyweights. He is a top figure in today's "Vet Bro" culture, a post- Global War on Terror network of veterans, predominantly white, male special operators, which emerged around a decade ago. As the wars started to wind down and social media took over, many vets found the platforms to be a profitable way to promote businesses, memoirs, and podcasts. Some Vet Bros, a term which some veterans find unfair, often see the world through the lens of their experiences in the military and promote things like gun culture, the protective "sheepdog" mentality, and immature or raunchy humor. That sometimes comes with service-related embellishment. "A big problem right now is that the average veteran doesn't feel heard," said Chris Jachimiec, a veteran suicide prevention consultant and retired Air Force veteran who hopes to see service more normalized to the point where people don't feel compelled to embellish it. Some veterans are "reluctant to tell their normal story," he said. "It's like, 'Yeah, I fixed aircraft for 20 years.'" It's a mundane but critical job, even if it lacks the appeal of special operations. Such misrepresentations can fuel the widening civil-military divide, the physical and experiential chasm between troops and regular Americans whose understanding of the armed forces is on the decline. Hollywood depictions of military service are often confined to the actions of special operators, ignoring other forms of service. Embellishment from high-profile vets may reinforce unrealistic narratives of service. Kennedy's proclamations of battlefield heroism have embroiled the online veteran community for months. As wars abroad have wound down, blatant stolen valor, in which someone may fabricate a career or misrepresent their own heroism, as Kennedy indicated he did, is less commonly seen, compared to more common discreet embellishments that would only be easily apparent to a trained eye. But for both, the impact of such misstatements can run deep, leading many veterans to fight them aggressively. Accountability "If veterans don't hold veterans accountable, then we absolutely will lose the respect that honestly we've fought really hard to earn," Brent Tucker, a former Army Delta Force soldier and podcast host, told Business Insider. Tucker's podcast has previously come under fire by other vets for criticizing Kennedy's claims. Ideally, vets, especially special operators, would never need to be questioned, Tucker said. But with thousands, sometimes millions, of followers and money from influencing and entrepreneurship at stake, skepticism is warranted. Kennedy is affiliated with multiple companies, including one that offers Tim Kennedy action figures for $50. Another, "Apogee Strong," appears to be a franchise of homeschooling operations currently caught up in a lawsuit for intellectual property theft. Attempts to reach the attorney defending Kennedy's school program were unsuccessful. The instant credibility often afforded to famous vets of the "all-volunteer force" has become a thorny topic, leading to a problematic pedestal and sometimes not-entirely-merited access to levers of influence and power. Relying on military service isn't just routine for influencers, but also for prospective lawmakers running for office, said Katherine Kuzminski, director of studies at the Center for a New American Security. Touting a service record shows voters that a candidate has a service-oriented mindset. Political news outlet NOTUS investigated the Bronze Star paperwork for Florida Rep. Cory Mills, citing soldiers named in his documents who did not recall him being part of the "extraordinary heroism" that earned him the award. Former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal, and other veteran politicians have also faced other criticisms related to misleading statements. "It says, like, 'Hey, I know what it means to serve, I have a skill set, I've done something rare, and you should trust me," said Kuzminski, an expert on US military veterans and society. She added that such sentiments often have plenty of truth. But in an era of dwindling pools of people with any military affiliation, there's often an incorrect assumption among Americans that veterans, perhaps particularly those with numerous social media followers, are qualified for everything. Such assumptions, she said, may include dissuading civilians from questioning vets at all. "It shouldn't mask the responsibility to dig a level deeper," she said.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
A top Green Beret influencer says he exaggerated his war story. The US military is investigating, and vets see a deeper problem.
Green Beret and former MMA fighter Tim Kennedy says he wrongly implied he received a military award for valor. The revelation highlights tensions in post-9/11 military culture and online influence. The incident underscores elements of the civil-military divide and the scrutiny of veteran influencers. Tim Kennedy, a Green Beret, former MMA fighter, and a recognizable figure in today's "Vet Bro" influencer culture, revealed this week that he had wrongly implied that he received a military award reserved only for battlefield bravery. The military is investigating. The award in question, a Bronze Star, was instead bestowed for commendable work performance, and not specifically courage during combat, a seemingly minor yet significant distinction for service members. The revelation has sparked backlash among veterans amid concerns that the damage of such exaggerations potentially goes beyond an overstated military service record. Kennedy has legions of online followers, and his ties to leading political circles have made him an increasingly influential figure. As veterans increasingly build personal brands on combat credibility, Kennedy's controversy highlights a deeper cultural rift, with tension between the trust society puts in vets, especially elite special operators, and the gray areas of self-promotion. While outright stolen valor has become much rarer than it once was, embellishments and inflated service claims have become more common in the influencer era, raising questions about accountability, authenticity, and the public's willingness to scrutinize military figures. Kennedy, a senior Green Beret with the Maryland National Guard, released a statement on social media Tuesday night in which he said that he "unintentionally misstated aspects" of his military service, that he "implied directly or indirectly" that he was awarded a Bronze Star with Valor. "I never received that honor, and I deeply regret ever suggesting otherwise," he said. "I will no longer speak about my service in a way that elevates me beyond what I actually did," the statement continued. "From now on, my words will be guided by truth, humility, and respect." A Bronze Star can be bestowed upon US troops for "merit" during wartime operations, not only battlefield "valor." Such merit could, for example, also be provided to support personnel or combat troops for noteworthy service absent heroics. The award with "valor" is usually considered much weightier than the meritorious version, which was commonly bestowed to troops throughout the wars. Kennedy has previously pushed back against other veterans' pointed criticisms regarding his service record, saying "it's totally hypocritical and intellectually dishonest to be pretending that you're on the moral high ground and then misrepresenting facts, lying, paraphrasing, and then taking things out of context." Kennedy said that such scrutiny of his record likely generated lucrative traffic for podcasts critical of him. A copy of Kennedy's Bronze Star award citation provided to Business Insider Wednesday morning, weeks after BI submitted a public records request seeking Kennedy's award documents, reflects that the award was bestowed for "unmatched competence and sound judgement" for planning and executing combat operations in Iraq in 2006. "The Maryland National Guard takes these matters seriously," said unit spokesman Maj. Benjamin Hughes in a statement to BI Thursday morning. "Integrity is a core value of our organization, so an investigation is currently underway to review the facts surrounding these public misstatements." BI reached out to three companies associated with Kennedy, as well as his emails and social media accounts, seeking comment but did not receive a response. A personal phone number for Kennedy was not immediately available. Kennedy's statement on his service record comes as he has experienced a seemingly meteoric rise within the inner circles of Washington's elite. Over the past few months, he has appeared in the Oval Office and been seen hobnobbing with political leaders, including VA Secretary Dan Driscoll, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other Beltway heavyweights. He is a top figure in today's "Vet Bro" culture, a post-Global War on Terror network of veterans, predominantly white, male special operators, which emerged around a decade ago. As the wars started to wind down and social media took over, many vets found the platforms to be a profitable way to promote businesses, memoirs, and podcasts. Some Vet Bros, a term which some veterans find unfair, often see the world through the lens of their experiences in the military and promote things like gun culture, the protective "sheepdog" mentality, and immature or raunchy humor. That sometimes comes with service-related embellishment. "A big problem right now is that the average veteran doesn't feel heard," said Chris Jachimiec, a veteran suicide prevention consultant and retired Air Force veteran who hopes to see service more normalized to the point where people don't feel compelled to embellish it. Some veterans are "reluctant to tell their normal story," he said. "It's like, 'Yeah, I fixed aircraft for 20 years.'" It's a mundane but critical job, even if it lacks the appeal of special operations. Such misrepresentations can fuel the widening civil-military divide, the physical and experiential chasm between troops and regular Americans whose understanding of the armed forces is on the decline. Hollywood depictions of military service are often confined to the actions of special operators, ignoring other forms of service. Embellishment from high-profile vets may reinforce unrealistic narratives of service. Kennedy's proclamations of battlefield heroism have embroiled the online veteran community for months. As wars abroad have wound down, blatant stolen valor, in which someone may fabricate a career or misrepresent their own heroism, as Kennedy indicated he did, is less commonly seen, compared to more common discreet embellishments that would only be easily apparent to a trained eye. But for both, the impact of such misstatements can run deep, leading many veterans to fight them aggressively. "If veterans don't hold veterans accountable, then we absolutely will lose the respect that honestly we've fought really hard to earn," Brent Tucker, a former Army Delta Force soldier and podcast host, told Business Insider. Tucker's podcast has previously come under fire by other vets for criticizing Kennedy's claims. Ideally, vets, especially special operators, would never need to be questioned, Tucker said. But with thousands, sometimes millions, of followers and money from influencing and entrepreneurship at stake, skepticism is warranted. Kennedy is affiliated with multiple companies, including one that offersTim Kennedy action figures for $50. Another, "Apogee Strong," appears to be a franchise of homeschooling operations currently caught up in a lawsuit for intellectual property theft. Attempts to reach the attorney defending Kennedy's school program were unsuccessful. The instant credibility often afforded to famous vets of the "all-volunteer force" has become a thorny topic, leading to a problematic pedestal and sometimes not-entirely-merited access to levers of influence and power. Relying on military service isn't just routine for influencers, but also for prospective lawmakers running for office, said Katherine Kuzminski, director of studies at the Center for a New American Security. Touting a service record shows voters that a candidate has a service-oriented mindset. Political news outlet NOTUS investigated the Bronze Star paperwork for Florida Rep. Cory Mills, citing soldiers named in his documents who did not recall him being part of the "extraordinary heroism" that earned him the award. Former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal, and other veteran politicians have also faced other criticisms related to misleading statements. "It says, like, 'Hey, I know what it means to serve, I have a skill set, I've done something rare, and you should trust me," said Kuzminski, an expert on US military veterans and society. She added that such sentiments often have plenty of truth. But in an era of dwindling pools of people with any military affiliation, there's often an incorrect assumption among Americans that veterans, perhaps particularly those with numerous social media followers, are qualified for everything. Such assumptions, she said, may include dissuading civilians from questioning vets at all. "It shouldn't mask the responsibility to dig a level deeper," she said. Read the original article on Business Insider
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ex-UFC fighter Tim Kennedy forced to apologize after admitting to lying about military award
Former UFC fighter Tim Kennedy has been forced to apologize after lying about receiving a special military award, admitting he 'disrespected' his fellow soldiers and their loved ones. Kennedy, who won 18 of his 24 professional mixed martial arts contests, first joined the US Army back in 2004 and worked his way up to becoming a Green Beret sniper with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. After his active duty service, he transitioned to the Texas Army National Guard in 2009 before being reenlisted to the Special Forces eight years later. However, Kennedy's military career is now the subject of fierce controversy after retired Green Beret Nathan Cornacchia exposed him for lying about winning a Bronze Star with Valor - awarded to members of the US Armed Forces for acts of heroism and bravery - back in 2017. Cornacchia, who runs a popular YouTube channel with 183,000 subscribers, shared several videos of the ex-MMA pro claiming that he received the prestigious honor eight years ago for 'shooting at a bad guy'. The YouTuber and veteran - who earned an Army Commedation Medal for Valor, which is one step below the honor Kennedy claimed to have received - accused his fellow soldier of lying about the award as well as his 'countless' trips to Iraq and Afghanistan and being 'surrounded by 400 members of the Taliban '. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tim Kennedy (@timkennedymma) And amid scrutiny over his military achievements, Kennedy took to Instagram on Wednesday to apologize for 'misstating' certain aspects of it. 'I want to take full and unequivocal responsibility for a serious mistake,' the 45-year-old wrote on Instagram. 'Over the years, I made public statements and gave interviews in which I unintentionally misstated aspects of my military service. 'Most notably, I implied directly or indirectly that I had been awarded the Bronze Star with Valor. That is not true, and there is no excuse for it. I never received that honor, and I deeply regret ever suggesting otherwise. 'That kind of recognition is sacred. It represents extraordinary courage under fire acts that risk or cost lives. To those who truly earned it, and to their families and brothers-in-arms, I offer my sincere and direct apology. What I said disrespected your service, and I take full ownership of that. 'I was young when I stepped into the public eye, and while I wasn't prepared for the scrutiny or pressure that came with it, that doesn't absolve me. I should have known better. Integrity is not situational, and I failed to uphold the standards I claimed to represent. 'To the military and veteran community, especially those who've served in combat or lost people they love. I am deeply sorry. I know I've let many of you down. You had every right to expect more from me, and I didn't live up to that.'
