A heated exchange broke out Thursday on Capitol Hill when Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Republican Rep. Byron Donalds clashed during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing. The dispute stemmed from Tlaib’s remarks describing President Donald Trump’s approach in Washington, D.C., as a “fascist takeover.”
Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, used the phrase while criticizing the federalization of the city’s police force and the deployment of the National Guard in the capital. She accused Republicans of exaggerating crime and ignoring positive aspects of the city.
“I think it’s really important—we need to stand up against this fascist takeover. That’s not a bad word. It’s a fact,” Tlaib told her colleagues. She added that the committee should not allow rhetoric that misrepresents Washington, D.C., or its communities.
Her remarks prompted an immediate reaction from Donalds, a Republican from Florida, who took offense and accused her of drawing offensive comparisons.
“Chairman, I think it’s insane… She’s going to refer to me and some of my colleagues like we were from the Third Reich,” Donalds said. “This is insane. It’s insane. It’s insane. It’s insane.” He then turned directly to Tlaib and asked, “Do I look like a member of the Third Reich to you, Ms. Tlaib? Is that what I look like to you?”
Tlaib dismissed the comment with an exclamation of “Oh, please!” and shifted to criticize Donalds on other issues. She highlighted his recent vote to lower the age for prosecuting juveniles charged with violent crimes in Washington, D.C., to 14.
She also pointed to allegations from February that Donalds engaged in ghost voting, a violation of House rules in which a lawmaker’s vote is recorded even when they are not present in the chamber. The exchange quickly escalated, with both lawmakers shouting over each other and demanding accountability.
Since the confrontation, Tlaib has remained silent on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Donalds, however, has continued the feud online. He accused Tlaib of using “the exact same irresponsible rhetoric that inspired Tyler Robinson,” referring to the man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In another post, Donalds claimed Tlaib had “defamed” him.
The clash underscored the growing tensions within the Oversight Committee, which has become a venue for partisan disputes on issues ranging from the District of Columbia’s governance to broader national debates about law enforcement and democracy.