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 the origins of a bullet wound he claims he got while fighting in Afghanistan.

Sheehy, who is running to unseat Democrat Sen. Jon Tester, went to the emergency room after a reported fall in Montana’s Glacier National Park in 2015. During the visit, Sheehy reportedly was asked about a bullet wound in his arm, telling a National Park ranger that he had accidentally shot himself with a Colt .45 revolver while in the park — but Sheehy later revealed during his campaign that he actually suffered the injury while serving in Afghanistan in 2012.

The story recently resurfaced after Dave Madden, a longtime Democratic donor who served with Sheehy, told the New York Times the Republican candidate was lying about his bullet wound during his time in the Navy.

However, Sheehy’s own commanding officer, as well as a group of 19 Navy SEALs and EOD Techs who served with Sheehy and/or Madden, tell Fox News Digital exclusively that the claims attempting to contradict Sheehy’s bullet wound are “disgraceful.”

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“Tim Sheehy’s reputation as a SEAL is one of excellence and bravery. He was a great teammate, a strong leader and, most importantly, a good friend to so many of our brethren,” the 19 SEALs and EOD Techs said in a joint-statement shared exclusively with Fox News Digital.

Montana Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University on Aug. 9, 2024 in Bozeman, Montana. (Michael Ciaglo)

The SEALS added that their statement was not a political endorsement, but rather an “endorsement of the truth and of the need for good men willing to stand up and lead America.”

“Dave Madden’s attacks on Tim are slanderous, unbecoming of our community, disgraceful, and wrong. Dave has defined his post-military life by choosing to criticize the SEAL community and those who are respected within it for his own personal gain. Dave’s statements regarding Tim’s integrity and service on the battlefield are obviously politically motivated and flatly untrue. Dave was not even in Tim’s platoon during the events in question, let alone close with Tim, and his self-serving lies are pathetic.”

The commanding officer of both Sheehy and Madden also defended Sheehy against critics. 

“Tim Sheehy’s reputation as a SEAL is one of total dedication, personal sacrifice, and bravery. Dave Madden’s statements about 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 in April that he never reported it to his superiors to avoid an investigation, telling the outlet that he was unsure where the bullet came from and did not report the incident in an effort to protect his former platoonmates.

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Madden, a Democratic donor according to election finance records, told the New York Times in an interview that he and Sheehy were previously close, and that the Senate candidate never mentioned having a bullet in his forearm — which prompted his skepticism about him receiving the wound overseas.

Madden’s criticism caught wind and has since made headlines in the final weeks leading up to the key Senate race, as several polls show Sheehy leading by several percentage points. However, the interview is just one of Madden’s frequent criticisms against the Senate candidate via social media.

“Tim was a better SEAL than I was, but that doesn’t mean he’s *moral*. I’ve rarely met someone with a more intense will-to-power. He has the kind of self-confidence that can only come from being raised with extreme wealth (PE family money), and he will tell Montana voters WHATEVER THEY WANT TO HEAR in order to arrive at his “rightful” position of power.” Madden wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in September.

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

“I know Tim very, very well, and I’m glad you’re not voting for him,” another post made in January read.

Fox News Digital reached out to Madden for comment.

NSSF — the Firearm Industry Trade Association, released a statement defending Sheehy in that the firearm he was carrying in the park would not have discharged a round if it had been accidentally dropped.

“The proper way to carry a single action Colt .45 revolver is with the hammer down on an empty chamber to prevent an unintended discharge should the firearm be accidentally dropped or fall. Based on the facts as we understand them, the park ranger found the revolver with the hammer down on an empty chamber. Therefore, it would appear Mr. Sheehy was following proper gun safety protocol. In which case, the revolver could not have discharged a round unintentionally even if it was accidentally dropped or fell,” said Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for NSSF.

Republican candidate for senator, Tim Sheehy, speaks at a rally supporting former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) in Bozeman, Montana, on Aug. 9, 2024. (Natalie Behring/AFP via Getty Images)

The NSSF added that the gun Sheehy was carrying would have caused much more severe damage had he been shot in the park.

“A point-blank discharge of a Colt .45 round would have caused extensive – and obvious – damage to Mr. Sheehy’s arm and would have required immediate medical attention, possibly including surgery, of the gunshot wound. If Mr. Sheehy were actually shot at Glacier as is alleged, it is unimaginable he would walk out of the hospital just a few hours later. For these reasons, we believe the allegation, as reported by the media, that Tim Sheehy’s single action Colt .45 revolver discharged when it fell or was dropped striking him in his arm is false and inaccurate.”

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“In smearing Tim Sheehy’s military record, Democrats and the media are dusting off a well-worn political playbook they developed during the Trump-era,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Communications Director Mike Berg, said in a statement. “They are ignoring the facts and trotting out left-wing partisans with wild last-minute claims to smear Sheehy before he has a chance to respond. The tactics being used against Tim Sheehy echo those employed against Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh. Montanans should reject these disgusting left-wing tactics.”