US Congressman Tim Walberg (R) received condemnation for calling for Gaza to be treated like "Hiroshima and Nagasaki" in a video posted to X on Saturday.
In the video, Walberg is heard discussing his position on humanitarian aid and Gaza, saying that US aid to Israel should not be diverted to help Gaza.
Our #Michigan chapter @CAIRMI today condemned a call by @RepWalberg (R-MI) to end humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people in #Gaza facing Israeli-imposed starvation, ethnic cleansing and #genocide, and instead drop nuclear weapons on the population.https://t.co/H4vJTdcrUW
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) March 30, 2024
In response to a question on the new humanitarian port being built off Gaza, he says that the US "shouldn’t be spending a dime on humanitarian aid" and that he prefers money to be spent on providing aid to Israel to help defeat Hamas.
Walberg then clarifies that "It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick."
He also linked Iran and Russia to Hamas's war effort and added, "Probably North Korea and China's in there too."
Round condemnation
Walberg's comments were roundly condemned by fellow members of Congress, including fellow Michigan Representative Daniel Kildee (D), who posted to X, calling the comments " horrific & shocking" and calling his position on humanitarian aid "indefensible."
Rep. Walberg's comments are horrific & shocking. It is an indefensible position to argue against humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza while also calling for the wholesale massacre of the Palestinian people. I couldn't disagree more with these extreme & dangerous comments. https://t.co/udQqZqnirp
— Rep. Dan Kildee (@RepDanKildee) March 30, 2024
Another Michigan Representative, Elissa Slotkin (D), called the comments "reprehensible" and said that they were in particularly poor taste as he is both an elected official and an ordained pastor.
This is a reprehensible thing for anyone to suggest, especially an elected official and someone who considers himself a man of faith.Rep. Walberg should take back his comments, and try to put himself in the shoes of the many Michiganders who see themselves in the casualties in… https://t.co/ckFGqK8SFH
— Elissa Slotkin (@ElissaSlotkin) March 30, 2024
The comments were also condemned by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who called it a "clear call for genocide."
A spokesperson for Walberg’s office did not immediately respond to a request by the Guardian for comment Saturday.