Rev. Franklin Graham. (AP)

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama, his administration, and many people in Congress are pushing “a gay and lesbian agenda” and, like Russian President Vladimir Putin, our Congress “needs to do more in protecting our nation’s children” from exploitation, said Rev. Franklin Graham, son of the world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham.

Graham added that gays and lesbians biologically cannot have children but they can “recruit,” and he believes in “protecting children, okay, from exploitation, all exploitations.”

Reverend Graham, who heads the international Christian aid group Samaritan’s Purse, made his remarks during a recent interview with reporter Tim Funk at the Charlotte Observer.

“Gays and lesbians cannot have children. Biologically, it’s impossible,” said Graham. The reporter then said, “Right, they can adopt,” and Graham answered, “Yes, they can recruit.”

When asked the difference between recruit and adopt, Rev. Graham said, “Well, you can adopt a child into a marriage but you can also recruit children into your cause. I believe in protecting children, okay, from exploitation, all exploitations. So that’s all this is about.”

Graham then referred to actions taken by the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin last year to outlaw the “propaganda” or promotion of homosexuality to children.

“I think I agreed with Putin, I think protecting his nation’s children I think was probably a pretty smart thing to do,” said Graham. “I was very clear, I supported Putin in his decision to protect his nation’s children, and I think our Congress needs to do more in protecting our nation’s children.”

Graham continued, “Our Congress, our president, and others are going forward with an agenda – a gay and lesbian agenda and many in the Congress are following them.”

When asked what that agenda entails, Graham said, “Well, just look at where we are today. At every turn, the gay and lesbian agenda is being pushed by this administration.”

Asked whether he meant “on marriage, for example,” and Graham said: “Sure, of course it is.”

During the 2008 presidential campaign and his first three years in the White House, President Obama said he opposed gay “marriage,” but he changed his position in May 2012. His administration pushed to end the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the U.S. military, opposed the Defense of Marriage Act, and made it an official element of U.S. foreign policy to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. (AP File Photo)

There is a White House website dedicated to promoting the gay and lesbian agenda. It is called “President Obama and the LGBT Community” and can be viewed here. As it states, “This site is a tool for you to learn about how President Obama and his team are working to win the future for LGBT Americans.”

In his interview with the Charlotte Observer, Rev. Graham also said, “As far as persecution, I’m attacked all the time because of my religious beliefs, what I believe, what I say. There are people who are very quick to demonize you if you disagree with them: the left, the gay-lesbian movement.”

“If I disagree with a gay person, then I’m a ‘homophobic,’ I’m ‘intolerant,’” said Graham. “It’s not that I’m a homophobe, I’m not afraid of them. I’m not intolerant. I just have a different opinion, a different view. And it’s the same thing with anybody that disagrees with them. They demonize you.”

Besides his work with Samaritan’s Purse, Rev. Graham also oversees the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Graham, 61, is married, has five children, and lives in Boone, North Carolina.