“The Bible tells us we are not fighting human beings. We are not fighting flesh and blood. We are not fighting Europeans. We are not fighting Americans. We are fighting the forces of hell,” said Ogwal.

Walberg, a pastor who has long advocated for religious right policies, then rhetorically asked the attendees, which included Museveni, what side they wanted to be on.

“God’s side,” he responded. “God’s side. Not the World Bank. Not the United States of America, necessarily. Not the U.N. [United Nations]. No. God’s side.”

In response, U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint) issued a statement calling it “extremely disappointing” that Walberg would provide support for a law which criminalizes being gay. 

“Uganda’s law, which allows LGBT people to be sentenced to death for who they are, is a gross violation of human rights. Furthermore, attempting to mask bigotry in Christianity is shameful and wrong,” said Kildee. “All forms of discrimination should be called out, including discrimination against LGBT people. All leaders, especially Members of Congress, should not use our offices to promote divisiveness and hate.”

Also expressing disapproval was U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), who is running this year for U.S. Senate in a crowded field..

“As someone who grew up in Michigan with a gay mom, this kind of bigotry is disturbing — especially since it comes from someone with a platform as a Congressman,” she said on social media.

The Young Turks first reported that Walberg’s trip was paid for by the Fellowship Foundation, more popularly referred to as “The Family,” a nonprofit religious and political organization which, until last year, organized the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast held annually in Washington, D.C., on the first Thursday in February.

A video of the Oct. 8 event in Entebbe, Uganda, features Walberg as the keynote speaker appearing to endorse comments made by others including referring to advocates for LGBTQ+ rights as “a force from the bottom of hell” while also encouraging government officials to seek what they called “Christocracy” over democracy.

“President Museveni needs a nation that stands with him and says, ‘Though the rest of the world is pushing back on you, though there are other major countries that are trying to get into you and ultimately change you, Stand firm. Stand firm.’ And he knows that he has a parliament and he has people and he has a clergy and he has members of the civil society and he has members around the world, even congressmen like me, who will say, ‘We stand with you.’ Now, this will probably get back to the national media in the United States, and I expect some pushback. But, I’m not going to give into them,” said Walberg.

In response to the criticism, Walberg’s office tried to downplay the Congressman’s remarks, noting in a statement that he never specifically mentioned the anti-gay law, but instead criticized what he felt was a double standard on the part of the international community.

“Despite inaccurate reports circulating, the transcript clearly shows that Congressman Walberg never endorsed any legislation or law while in Uganda,” read the statement. “He did call out the World Bank for repeatedly holding Uganda, a Christian nation, to a different standard than much of the rest of the world. There is an undeniable double standard where other nations, like Afghanistan, receive uncriticized support from the World Bank.

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“Global organizations, like the World Bank, should adhere to their mission and fiduciary duty to help bring economic prosperity to developing countries. They should not be in the business of pushing social policies, especially in an uneven fashion,” the statement continued. “This is just one example of a growing trend of global organizations abandoning their duties and missions to pursue a political agenda and Congressman Walberg will continue to speak against this trend, even when it comes with gross mischaracterizations and inaccuracies.”

While Walberg never mentioned the Anti-Homosexuality Act by name, his criticism of “social policies” being advanced by the World Bank likely references an August statement by the organization against Uganda’s law.

“Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group’s values,” said the World Bank statement. “We believe our vision to eradicate poverty on a livable planet can only succeed if it includes everyone irrespective of race, gender, or sexuality. This law undermines those efforts. Inclusion and non-discrimination sit at the heart of our work around the world.”

The organization said it was halting funding to Uganda because of the law, but it later said it would resume after assurances were made that members of the LGBTQ+ community would not be discriminated against when trying to access its programs.

In his criticism of the World Bank, Walberg also blasted transgender people.

“The worthless, for instance, is a thought of the World Bank or the World Health Organization or the United Nations, or sadly some in our administration in America, who say you are wrong for standing for values that God created, for saying that there are male and female and God created them. That’s science folks,” said Walberg. 

“I’ve been told all throughout COVID and everything else ‘Follow the science,’ but when they come to an understanding that there’s male and female and God created it, that’s science. And to lie to our children, to groom our children, to think that they can determine whatever they want. I told someone this morning jokingly, please media report that, that if I could decide what I want to be, what gender, whatever it is, I’d be a yellow Labrador retriever. I love that dog … so, I’m a yellow Labrador retriever. Who doesn’t like a yellow Labrador retriever? That’s not science.”

Lavora Barnes, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, condemned Walberg’s remarks, and said they were part and parcel with an agenda being advanced by elected Republicans. 

“It’s unfortunately no surprise that Rep. Walberg is endorsing not only an extreme anti-LGBTQ agenda but one of the world’s most dangerous anti-LGBTQ laws. We won’t be fooled by his gross attempt to cover up his bigotry,” said Barnes. “This kind of hateful rhetoric has no place coming from a Member of Congress, and Rep. Walberg is deeply out of step with the values of Michiganders. This fiasco makes it clear that if MAGA Republicans have their way in the upcoming election, long-decided LGBTQ rights will be put under threat once again.”