Rep. Thomas Massie honors USS Liberty crew, accuses Israel of intentional attack on House floor

On June 8, Rep. Thomas Massie (R‑KY) delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to mark the 59th anniversary of the 1967 USS Liberty incident. He honored the surviving crew members and their families, invited them to attend, and the remarks were broadcast live on C‑SPAN.

Massie asserted that Israel deliberately attacked the unarmed reconnaissance ship, killing 34 sailors and wounding 171, and called for a new congressional investigation. He cited former officials who have questioned the official conclusion that the attack was a case of mistaken identity. The speech drew praise from conspiracy‑theory circles and criticism from fellow Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw, who questioned Massie's motives.

Official U.S. and Israeli inquiries have long maintained that the incident was a friendly‑fire mistake, and Israel has apologized and provided restitution to victims' families.