‘Squad’ Member Faces Criticism for Controversial Social Media Post

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) faced backlash for a tweet claiming that buying firearms in the U.S. is easier than purchasing concert tickets, which critics called “nonsensical.” Jayapal wrote, “It shouldn’t be easier to buy an assault weapon than concert tickets.”

Her statement received significant negative engagement, with many users pointing out the differences between gun purchases and concert tickets, including the lack of constitutional protections for ticket buying.

“The term ‘assault weapon’ is often politically charged and not uniformly defined across states, which complicates any direct comparison. Concert tickets, on the other hand, involve no such constitutional protection or debate over personal freedoms,” X’s AI software Grok wrote.

It shouldn’t be easier to buy an assault weapon than concert tickets.

— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) December 30, 2024

“Never in history has tyranny been defeated by citizens armed with tickets to Blink 182,” one X user wrote.

“I realize you’re trying to be edgy and also appeal to your base, but did you even think this out before tweeting?” another said.

Jayapal represents Washington, a state with strict gun laws, but critics argued that she and Governor Jay Inslee lack clarity on what constitutes an “assault weapon.”