Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the lead Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, disclosed on Tuesday, July 23, 2026, that he has not held a town hall meeting for more than a year. Smith attributed this hiatus to disruptions and threats from anti-Israel activists. In an interview with Breaking Points, he said, "I have been unable to hold a town hall meeting for a year because a bunch of leftists show up and scream at me and don't let anyone else speak," adding that protesters have stood outside his home, "screaming death threats at me and threatening my wife."

Smith, a member of the Democratic Party’s establishment wing, has previously condemned far-left activists who vandalized his home in 2023 over his support for Israel, including spray-painting "baby killer" in red on his garage doors. He also recounted an incident at the University of Washington where pro-Israel speakers were shouted down by far-left activists during a debate on divesting from Israel. "So the first three people got up and testified in favor of divesting. [The] fourth person got up and testified against divesting," Smith said.

Expressing frustration, Smith criticized the left for not condemning such actions, stating, "And the left [says], ‘Oh, well of course we don’t support [that]. We're peace activists. We would never do something like that.’ Okay. How about you just say, ‘No, they did it. It's wrong. We're against it. We are going to be liberal.’"

Smith’s comments come amid ongoing debates within the Democratic Party and broader political discourse regarding U.S. policy toward Israel.

Sources