Republican congressman suggests dropping nuclear bombs on Gaza and ending humanitarian aid

‘It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima,’ Tim Walberg says on social media, referencing Japanese cities the US dropped atomic bombs on at end of WW2

Walberg spokesman said the congressman’s comment was in response to a question about US troops being deployed in Gaza

Reading Time:3 minutes

Republican congressman Tim Walberg at the US Capitol in Washington on March 7. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:07am, 31 Mar 2024

Michigan congressman Tim Walberg suggested that nuclear weapons should be dropped on Gaza, which his office said was a metaphor to “support Israel’s swift elimination of Hamas”.

“It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick,” Walberg says in a video circulating on social media, referencing the Japanese cities that the US dropped atomic bombs on at the end of World War 2.

Walberg, a Republican from Lenawee County, also is heard in the video speaking out against humanitarian aid for those in Gaza, the Palestinian territory on the brink of famine after more than five months of Israel’s war against Hamas, the militant group that set off the conflict with its October 7 attack on Israeli citizens, killing 1,200 and taking 240 hostages.

“We shouldn’t be spending a dime on humanitarian aid,” Walberg said.

Walberg spokesman Mike Rorke said on Saturday the eight-term congressman’s answer was in direct response to a question about American troops being deployed into Gaza to build a port to send aid to Palestinians.

“Congressman Walberg vehemently disagrees with putting our troops in harm’s way. He has great empathy for the innocent people in Gaza who have been thrust into this situation due to the attack carried out by Hamas leaving 1,163 innocent civilians dead,” Rorke said. “To this day, Hamas still is holding hostages, including Americans. Hamas should surrender and return the hostages.”