Congressional Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee stated that a staff member was responsible for a homophobic tweet posted on his account, which drew bipartisan criticism.
In a social media post Tuesday evening, Ogles described how his phone became “crazy” while he was working on the farm due to an update from a communications team member. He called the post “stupid,” “hurtful,” and a “complete distraction” from his America First agenda, noting that the employee had been reprimanded.
Ogles’ X account previously shared the statement: “Homosexuality has no place in America. Happy Nuclear Family Month.”
The tweet, which was later deleted, generated backlash among Republican colleagues. New York Representative Mike Lawler criticized the post on social media, stating: “Homosexuality exists. In America.” Lawler added that Ogles “has family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and constituents who are gay and lesbian” and that they “are not less than or somehow unworthy of being an American.”
Lawler also said he was glad Ogles deleted the post and emphasized: “Stop denigrating somebody just because you may disagree with who they are or their lifestyle. The fact is, this is what makes America great. You go to another part of the world, and people are killed for being gay — so to me that kind of crap just has no place.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana labeled the post “reprehensible,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana called it “untoward.” When asked about the incident, Johnson stated: “We’re supposed to love our neighbors, everybody, and treat every single person with dignity and respect, whether we agree with them or not.”
Ogles has a history of making inflammatory remarks on social media. In March, he posted that “Muslims don’t belong in American society.”
