A video circulating on social media appears to show Michigan U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg implying the use of nuclear weapons in Gaza. However, the Republican congressman’s office clarified that he was speaking metaphorically “to emphasize the urgency of defeating these enemies swiftly,” as reported by the Washington Post.
In the video, Walberg, representing the state’s 5th District, responds to a constituent’s question during a town hall on March 25 in Dundee. The question pertains to the United States’ plan to construct a floating pier off the coast of Gaza to provide humanitarian aid.
“Why are we spending our money to build a port for them?” someone inquires in the video. Walberg, not visible in the footage, replied by suggesting that the United States “shouldn’t be spending a dime on humanitarian aid” and made references to the two Japanese cities where atomic bombs were dropped during World War II, according to the Post.
U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (Credits: The Times of Israel)
“It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick,” Walberg remarked. The video was shared on X, formerly Twitter, on March 29 by the account @WhitchMI, whose user commented, “A sitting US Rep in a secret town hall feels comfortable musing positively about genocide. Listen. Share.”
In response, Walberg’s office argued that he “clearly uses a metaphor to support Israel’s swift elimination of Hamas, which is the best chance to save lives long-term and the only hope at achieving a permanent peace in the region,” as per the Post.
According to audio of Walberg’s statement, provided to The Washington Post by his office, after mentioning, “Get it over quick,” he added, “The same should be in Ukraine.”
Vladimir Putin (Credits: Britannica)
“Defeat [Russian President Vladimir] Putin quick,” Walberg continued. “Instead [of] 80 percent in Ukraine being used for humanitarian purposes, it should be 80 to 100 percent to wipe out Russia – if that’s what we want to do.”
Michigan’s 5th District encompasses Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, and St. Joseph counties and parts of Berrien, Calhoun, and Kalamazoo counties.
