- Tim Walberg appeared to suggest the US should destroy Gaza "like Nagasaki and Hiroshima."
- The Congressman said that his words had been a metaphor and that they had been taken out of context.
- Walberg has since been slammed by fellow representatives for his comments.
Michigan Congressman Tim Walberg is facing fierce criticism after appearing to suggest the US should drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza.
In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Walberg can be heard saying: "It should be like Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Get it over quick."
Responding to a question about the US's plans to build a floating pier off the coast of Gaza to deliver aid, Walberg also said the US "shouldn't be spending a dime on humanitarian aid."
Walberg, a conservative Republican, seemingly made the comments at a town hall event earlier this week, and he has since been slammed by fellow politicians.
Michigan Sen. Darrin Camilleri wrote on X that Walberg had been "endorsing and calling for a complete genocide in Gaza."
"He's an absolute disgrace and needs to resign," he wrote.
Walberg said it was a metaphor
Rep. Haley Stevens also took to X to voice her opinion on the clip, saying: "Threatening to use, suggesting the use of, or, God forbid actually using nuclear weapons, are unacceptable tactics of war in the 21st Century."
Rep. Dan Kildee added that Walberg's comments were "horrific" and "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," he wrote on X.
Walberg has since attempted to clarify his comments, saying in a statement posted on X: "I used a metaphor to convey the need for both Israel and Ukraine to win their wars as swiftly as possible, without putting American troops in harm's way."
"The quicker these wars end, the fewer innocent lives will be caught in the crossfire," he said. "The sooner Hamas and Russia surrender, the easier it will be to move forward."
"The use of this metaphor, along with the removal of context, distorted my message, but I fully stand by these beliefs and stand by our allies," he added.
Before his time in public office, Walberg served as a Christian pastor in Michigan and Indiana. His congressional website also says he defends traditional values in Washington, DC.
The war in Gaza began on October 7 after Hamas militants launched a series of attacks in Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking roughly 240 hostages.
Israel retaliated with relentless airstrikes and a ground invasion of the territory, which has led to more than 32,000 Palestinians being killed so far, the Hamas-run health ministry has said.
Many of the Gaza Strip's roughly two million inhabitants are now also on the brink of famine, UN officials have warned.