UMVA has learned that a explosive confrontation erupted on the House floor Wednesday, as Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, made shocking accusations against Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., claiming she had ties to terrorist groups, including Hezbollah.
The heated exchange occurred during a debate on a resolution that would force President Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Lebanon. Tlaib, a progressive lawmaker and member of the Squad, argued that the United States should not assist Israel's war in Lebanon, sparking a fierce backlash from Republicans.
Miller's comments on the House floor were explosive, as he referred to Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and implied that Tlaib had associations with its members. "Hezbollah is a terrorist organization ... and its members are butchers that you like to hang out with to a certain extent," Miller said, sparking a fierce response from Tlaib.
The Michigan Democrat shot back, yelling at Miller, who retorted with a calm, "Are we getting a little emotional?" Tlaib took umbrage, demanding that Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., the presiding chair, rule Miller's remarks out of order.
Obernolte ultimately struck Miller's words from the record after the House floor was frozen for over an hour. Miller was barred from speaking on the House floor for the rest of Wednesday, but House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., delivered a statement on Miller's behalf, saying, "Yes, I said it. I own it, and I stand by it."
Mast attempted to enter materials into the record about Tlaib's alleged association with terrorist groups, but Tlaib objected. The documents included a report from 2023 that Tlaib was a member of a private Facebook group that glorified Hamas' invasion of Israel.
Tlaib's resolution targeting U.S. forces in Lebanon is likely to die on the House floor Thursday amid bipartisan opposition. GOP lawmakers argue the resolution is "dangerous" because it could affect U.S. military operations in the country to protect the American embassy in Beirut and train the Lebanese Armed Forces to fight Hezbollah.
Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., a co-sponsor of the resolution, faced tough questioning from Mast about her stance on U.S. forces in Lebanon. Ramirez insisted that Miller was having a "different debate" and sidestepped the question.
