US Republican House Member Sparks Controversy by Saying "Atomic Bomb Should Be Dropped on Gaza Like Hiroshima"

A U.S. Republican House member has sparked controversy by making remarks implying that an atomic bomb should be dropped on the Gaza Strip, CNN and other outlets reported on the 31st (local time).

Representative Tim Walberg, when asked on the 25th about the U.S. building a port for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, said, "Not a single penny should be spent on humanitarian aid," adding, "It should end quickly like Nagasaki and Hiroshima (where atomic bombs were dropped)."

Gaza Strip turned into ruins
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan are the places where the U.S. dropped atomic bombs during World War II, leading to the end of the war.

Walberg's remarks spread online through videos, causing controversy. Subsequently, Walberg's office issued a full statement to the media to clarify. According to the office, after mentioning Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Walberg said, "Ukraine is the same," and "Instead of 80% of Ukraine's aid being used for humanitarian purposes, if we want to decisively defeat Russia, 80-100% of the aid should be used to defeat Russia." This was meant to convey the need to end the war quickly.

On the same day, Walberg posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), "As someone who grew up during the Cold War, I do not advocate the use of nuclear weapons," adding, "I used a metaphor to convey that Israel and Ukraine should each quickly win their wars in ways that do not harm U.S. troops." He further stated, "My intention is the exact opposite of what the reports suggest," and added, "The sooner the war ends, the fewer innocent lives will be lost."

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