GOP Rep Dons Israeli Military Uniform at Work Following Hamas Attack

Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) wore his Israel Defense Forces uniform to the U.S. Capitol on Friday in the wake of Hamas’ attacks that have killed more than 1,300 people. Mast is a U.S. Army veteran who volunteered to serve in the IDF as an explosives disposal expert. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he wrote, “As the only member to serve with both the United States Army and the Israel Defense Forces, I will always stand with Israel.” According to Mediatie, he addressed reporters’ questions at the Capitol by referencing Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who is of Palestinian heritage, saying, “Tlaib’s got her flag. I’ve got my uniform.” Tlaib has drawn criticism from her fellow House members for suggesting that the U.S. should stop military aid to Israel, a country that she claimed incited the violence. Others have come to her defense, including Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who discussed the outrage over her displaying the Palestinian flag outside her office, saying, “She’s Palestinian. It doesn’t mean she’s a terrorist. It doesn’t mean that she condones this. I fly a Danish flag at my house.”