Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) responded to remarks made by Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Evening Edit, calling it "pure ignorance," adding, "It defiles the members of our country who have been killed by Iranian proxies."
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Rep. Omar said, "No one is attacking or has attacked Americans. It's time to stop dragging Americans into war and letting Israel once again get America involved in their chosen war."
"Stand up for the Americans who believed you wanted peace and don't commit another generation of Americans into a costly war," the Somalia-born Minnesota Congresswoman added.
Host Elizabeth MacDonald noted that the Pentagon responded by pointing out that over 900 servicemembers have been killed by Iran-affiliated proxies since 1983, including three dead in January 2024.
"Ilhan is wrong," said Rep. Donalds, adding, "Obviously, the State Department corrected the record. We know that Iran, through their proxies, has doled out death to Americans. We also know that there is no way that Hamas would have attacked Israel, in which, yes, there were Americans who either killed or were taken hostage without Iran approving that attack."
Rep. Donalds thus asserted that Omar's statement is "completely ignorant," as neither Israel nor the larger Arab world wants Iran to have access to nuclear weapons.
"And so to make these kinds of statements, to me, is just pure ignorance," the Florida Congressman continued, adding, "And frankly, it defiles the members of our country who have been killed by Iranian proxies or by direct Iranian attacks over the years."
MacDonald pivoted to similar marks made on ABC's The View, where they attempted to paint Israel as the aggressor, which Donalds responded to as well.
"The truth is that Iran backed Hamas, they backed Hezbollah," he said. "Hamas would not have attacked the Israelis without Iranian approval. That is a fact," further pointing out that the Iranian regime has openly proclaimed its goal is the destruction of the Jewish State.
Donalds concluded by pointing out that current events are different from the claims of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) because "there is no dispute about the Iranians trying to get a nuclear weapons system. No dispute whatsoever."
