Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu Ted W. LieuThe spin on Woodward's tapes reveals the hypocrisy of Democrats Larry Kudlow defends response to coronavirus: Trump 'led wisely' Lieu on Trump 'playing it down' on coronavirus: 'This is reckless homicide' MORE (Calif.) fired back at a Twitter user who criticized his visit to Cirque du Soleil, saying he "served on active duty" to defend the other user's "racist" comments.

"I served on active duty in the United States military to defend your right to say stupid, racist shit," Lieu wrote in response to the Twitter troll.

I served on active duty in the United States military to defend your right to say stupid, racist shit. https://t.co/e9d1REJzCn — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 25, 2019

The user had written, "What is Ted 'China Spy' Lieu doing about homelessness in major California Cities? When he is enjoying Cirque du Soleil while our President Works in Japan!"

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The critical tweet came in response to Lieu posting a photo after watching a Cirque du Soleil performance Friday night.

Lieu served in the Air Force from 1995 to 1999 and has been in the Air Force Reserve since 2000.

He previously swiped at Fox News host Laura Ingraham Laura Anne IngrahamEx-Pence aide: Trump spent 45 minutes of task force meeting 'going off on Tucker Carlson' instead of talking coronavirus Sean Hannity and Lou Dobbs to be deposed in Seth Rich lawsuit: report NYC living statue shows Trump desecrating graves of war dead, COVID-19 victims MORE with a similar quip in 2018 after she said the "America we know and love doesn’t exist anymore" because of immigration.

"Dear Laura Ingraham: I served on active duty to defend your right to make racist statements," Lieu wrote on Twitter at the time.