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Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) is facing bipartisan backlash after responding to reports of U.S. military airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen by criticizing the response to a national security leak rather than the actions of the armed group. The controversy stems from a Signal group chat reportedly used by top U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, to discuss classified details related to upcoming military strikes.
According to reports, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of The Atlantic, was accidentally added to the chat, prompting immediate concern from lawmakers.
“This is an outrageous national security breach, and heads should roll,” Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) told Axios, a quote relayed by reporter Andrew Solender on X.
Tlaib replied to Solender’s post, writing, “More heat for using a group chat than for the bombing itself.”
Her response drew swift criticism across political lines, particularly due to the nature of the U.S. airstrikes, which targeted Houthi operatives classified as a terrorist group.
Critics accused Tlaib of once again appearing to minimize or dismiss the threat posed by militant organizations.
“They’re bombing terrorists, Rashida,” Townhall editor Katie Pavlich wrote in response to Tlaib.
Former CNN anchor and current NewsNation host Chris Cuomo added, “You want them to attack more Americans?”
“I mean, yeah, because killing Iranian-backed jihadists is a good thing,” wrote Jerry Dunleavy, Chief Investigative Correspondent at Just the News.
President Donald Trump authorized the strikes earlier this month, citing a pattern of Houthi aggression in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden targeting U.S. and allied maritime and aerial assets.
“They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones,” Trump said.
“Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going.”
“The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated,” Trump added.
“We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.”
The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, are a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization backed by the Iranian regime. They have been responsible for multiple attacks on civilian and military targets in the region, including U.S. ships, and have received global condemnation for their actions.
Rep. Tlaib has previously made headlines for controversial statements regarding foreign policy. In July 2023, she held up a sign in Congress reading “War Criminal” and “Guilty of Genocide” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an address. Later that year, she was censured by the House for promoting Hamas propaganda and making inflammatory comments in the aftermath of the October 7 terror attacks in Israel.
In May 2023, Tlaib appeared at an art show featuring material that advocated for the elimination of Israel and glorified individuals linked to terrorism. Following the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October, she made a public statement amplifying false reports about an Israeli strike on a hospital — a claim that was later debunked.
Her comments were cited as contributing to unrest in Washington, D.C., where hundreds of protesters were arrested after entering federal buildings. The body of criticism directed at Rep. Tlaib continues to grow as lawmakers and commentators question her repeated alignment with extremist narratives.
The latest comments surrounding U.S. military action against the Houthis have renewed calls for disciplinary action in Congress.
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