Former Navy SEAL Rep. Dan Crenshaw has doubled down on his criticisms of remarks made by Rep. Ilhan Omar, which he said trivializes the 9/11 terror attacks – and now he’s facing criticism for speaking out.
On Friday, Crenshaw posted a video of an interview he held with NBC News alongside the caption, “This week was a new low in partisanship & dishonesty. I watched in disbelief as some covered for Omar by coming after me with lies & absurd claims that I don’t support 9/11 victims. What a disgusting, dishonest tactic. Why turn this into a political football?”
This week was a new low in partisanship & dishonesty.
I watched in disbelief as some covered for Omar by coming after me with lies & absurd claims that I don’t support 9/11 victims.
What a disgusting, dishonest tactic.
Why turn this into a political football?
Full NBC int: pic.twitter.com/sVXvzHDPnP
— Rep. Dan Crenshaw (@RepDanCrenshaw) April 12, 2019
New York University journalism professor Talia Lavin retweeted Crenshaw’s video with her own message, “the real victim, captain shithead, speaks.”
the real victim, captain shithead, speaks https://t.co/1Yeu10YuEY
— Talia Lavin (@chick_in_kiev) April 13, 2019
In a since-removed tweet, freelance writer Rob Rousseau tweeted to Crenshaw, “You’re deliberately lying about what [Omar] said you eyeless fuck.”
Twitter just removed this tweet. pic.twitter.com/T4dtWvx0Nh
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) April 13, 2019
Crenshaw’s ire began last week when a video clip surfaced of Omar referring to 9/11 as “some people did something.”
“CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something, and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties,” Omar said at a Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) fundraising event last month.
A clip of her remarks was shared by Imam Mohamad Tawhidi, who said, “Ilhan Omar mentions 9/11 and does not consider it a terrorist attack on the USA by terrorists, instead she refers to it as ‘Some people did something,’ then she goes on to justify the establishment of a terrorist organization (CAIR) on U.S. soil.”
Crenshaw retweeted Tawhidi’s post, along with his own reaction: “First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as ‘some people who did something.’ Unbelievable.”
First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as “some people who did something”.
Unbelievable. https://t.co/IKtoZWWmIT
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 9, 2019
Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade also questioned whether Omar was “an American first” after her 9/11 remarks.
Omar tweeted in response to both Crenshaw and Kilmeade, saying, “This is dangerous incitement, given the death threats I face. I hope leaders of both parties will join me in condemning it. My love and commitment to our country and that of my colleagues should never be in question. We are ALL Americans!”
This is dangerous incitement, given the death threats I face. I hope leaders of both parties will join me in condemning it.
My love and commitment to our country and that of my colleagues should never be in question. We are ALL Americans! pic.twitter.com/foTZMpiZKv
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 10, 2019
Crenshaw responded to Omar’s tweet, saying, “1. I never called you un-American. 2. I did not incite any violence against you. 3. You described an act of terrorism on American soil that killed thousands of innocent lives as ‘some people did something.’ It’s still unbelievable, as is your response here.”
1. I never called you un-American.
2. I did not incite any violence against you.
3. You described an act of terrorism on American soil that killed thousands of innocent lives as “some people did something.”
It’s still unbelievable, as is your response here. https://t.co/SsfWYepOS1
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 10, 2019
Two days later, Crenshaw posted another tweet in response to the criticism he received for his comments.
“Just so we are clear on basic notions of reality: When someone calls out a public official for things they said, it is not endangering their life or inciting violence. Claiming otherwise is just an attempt to silence your critics,” he tweeted.
Just so we are clear on basic notions of reality:
When someone calls out a public official for things they said, it is not endangering their life or inciting violence.
Claiming otherwise is just an attempt to silence your critics.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 13, 2019
Since the exchange, President Donald Trump tweeted a video to highlight Omar’s comments, and House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi has since called for increased security over concerns of violence against Omar.
“It’s terrorists who killed almost 3,000 Americans and we should talk about it that way. We should talk about it with deference,” Crenshaw said during the NBC interview on Friday.
He said Omar’s remarks diminished the 9/11 attacks, adding, “I don’t think it’s out of line to simply call that out and criticize it.”
Crenshaw said that Omar could have diffused the situation instead of doubling down and playing the victim card while waging criticism on those who called her out, a response that he said was uncalled for.
Crenshaw added that Democrats coming to Omar’s defense have deflected from her remarks to instead attack him, some even suggesting that he is not supportive of 9/11 first responders.
“This is a really dishonest attack,” he said. “Let me tell you how I am for 9/11 victims and 9/11 first responders. I’m the guy who went overseas to make sure this never happened again, to take the fight to the enemy that committed these attacks. I would go back and do it every day if I could.”
