2020 Democratic candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii refused to blame Iran for shooting down a Ukrainian jetliner in Fox News’s “America’s Newsroom” Friday morning. Instead, she joined Pete Buttigieg in blaming President Trump for the death of 176 people aboard the Ukrainian passenger plane.

Buttigieg initiated the narrative that the United States is to blame for Iran shooting down the Ukrainian plane, saying the victims “were caught in the middle of an unnecessary and unwanted military tit for tat.”

Innocent civilians are now dead because they were caught in the middle of an unnecessary and unwanted military tit for tat. My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of all 176 souls lost aboard this flight. https://t.co/zWaVgWxfdL — Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) January 9, 2020

Gabbard joined in Buttigieg’s criticism, blaming Trump for allegedly escalating the problems with Iran, and alleging the deaths are, “consequences of this escalation and this state of war that we are in.”

“Having foresight and being able to look at what the consequences are of going to war with Iran, I think is a serious thing, and responsibility of the present Commander-in-Chief, that he and his administration have not looked at,” Gabbard said.

Fox News Anchor Bill Hemmer pressed Gabbard about whether or not she agrees with Buttigieg.

“My point is, this is a very unfortunate consequence of this escalation of war,” Gabbard responded.

Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard refuses to blame Iran for shooting down Ukrainian airplane, blames U.S. instead pic.twitter.com/LmkCVMp8O6 — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 10, 2020

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized the “crossfire” narrative being perpetuated by Democrats like Buttigeg and now Gabbard.

“Just because Dems hate Trump doesn’t justify false equivalence with Iran,” Cruz tweeted.

Uh, Pete, they weren’t “caught in the middle.” They were shot down BY IRAN. Military incompetence by the leading state sponsor of terrorism. Just because Dems hate Trump doesn’t justify false equivalence w/ Iran. Soleimani was a brutal terrorist who killed hundreds of Americans. https://t.co/KiGS8p5kHL — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 9, 2020

It appears 2020 Democrats are unable to condemn a brutal authoritarian regime because that would mean they understand the decisions made by the Trump administration, in regards to Iran, were correct. The Democrats’ diagnosed Trump derangement syndrome hinders their ability to do such.