Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) lauded her Democratic colleague Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) for defending President Trump while speaking earlier this year with members of the European Union.
Luna and Omar traveled together to meet with European counterparts in April as part of a congressional delegation for the House Democracy Partnership Institute.
Luna said there was a member from Belgium that was being a “total a‑‑hole” by telling the group that, “Congress isn’t respected by your own president.”
The Florida Republican said she quickly fired back and engaged in a verbal sparring match, when Omar jumped in to defend Trump.
“This, like, blew me away. … She looks at the guy, she goes, ‘You might not like what our president is doing and you might not agree with our foreign policy, but when we’re here, you will respect our president,’” Luna said during an appearance on Thursday’s “PBD Podcast.”
“She was talking about Trump,” she added.
Omar’s and Trump have for years had a contentious relationship, with the president suggesting the progressive, Muslim lawmaker be deported back to Somalia. Other Republican lawmakers have frequently chimed in to blast the Minnesota lawmaker for being foreign-born.
Still, as Luna recounted, the Minnesota Democrat stood her ground in front of the EU delegation while seated next to Reps. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), among others.
“There’s always this push and pull in politics, and politics is messy, but I didn’t expect that being on a delegation with a foreign government,” the conservative said on the podcast.
“But [Omar] said that. And I think at that point in time, when you have that type of unified front, especially in dealing with the EU, it was pleasantly surprising,” Luna added.
Luna added that she does not interact with Omar much outside of their work together on the Syria Caucus but did laud her counterpart for co-sponsoring a bill to repeal the Patriot Act.
When asked if she trusts Omar, Luna said, “I don’t agree with her, and politics is not about trust.”
“It’s about, and you don’t ever want to make friends in politics, especially this game, because ultimately you realize that it’s a very transactional field,” she added. “But in that instance, I appreciated that she provided a united front to … the jerk.”
