Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) slammed far-left “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for giggling during a press conference during her colleague’s discussion on U.S. casualties in the Iraq War and claiming that she is “stricken with PTSD” due to the current “conversations around war.”
Omar made headlines on Wednesday after she was spotted giggling while her colleague Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) discussed U.S. casualties in Iraq. Omar also claimed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which drew criticism from Banks, who serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve and deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015.
“Feigning PTSD in a press conference — in which you were seen giggling — because you disagree with the president on policy is not a thing and is disrespectful to our troops who come home from war suffering from symptoms like PTSD,” Banks said in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News.
“What’s even more shameful is today’s vote on the War Powers resolution,” he added. “This resolution intentionally ties the hands of the administration, who is working hard to prevent an endless war and protect U.S. armed forces.”
Omar said during the press conference that the recent talk of war made her feel “ill” and added that she found herself being “stricken with PTSD.”
“I feel ill a little bit because of everything that is taking place. And I think every time I hear of conversations around war, I find myself being stricken with PTSD,” she claimed in an apparent reference to her family fleeing from the Somali Civil War in 1991.
“I find peace knowing that I serve with great advocates for peace and people who have shown courage against war,” she added.
“This is a disgrace and offensive to our nation’s veterans who really do have PTSD after putting their life on the line to keep America safe,” Banks said on Twitter of Omar’s declaration:
Omar stuck to her claim and accused Banks of attempting to “erase the PTSD of survivors”:
“No @IlhanMN – you can’t change the subject,” Banks shot back.
“Your words and actions at today’s press conference reveal your feelings toward our soldiers serving abroad and the video speaks for itself,” he added, providing a video of Omar giggling during Jackson Lee’s remarks:
The House is expected to vote on the War Powers resolution, which would severely limit President Trump’s ability to respond to Iran’s threats with force — as he did with the elimination of Iran’s top terror chief Qasem Soleimani — on Thursday.
“Hope that all House Republicans will vote against Crazy Nancy Pelosi’s War Powers Resolution,” Trump tweeted ahead of the vote:
“Trust me, I’m going to let people know that, at this moment in time, to play this game with the War Powers Act, which I think is unconstitutional … whether you mean to or not, you’re empowering the enemy,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) warned on Wednesday.