what did trump say about gus walz

Donald Trump has repeatedly used harsh and insulting language about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and, by extension, his family, including son Gus, in the context of immigration and disability-related politics. These comments have drawn significant backlash because Gus Walz has documented learning and mental health disabilities, and Tim Walz and his family have publicly framed Trump’s rhetoric as harmful and stigmatizing toward people with disabilities.

Who is Gus Walz?

Gus Walz is the son of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and became widely known after emotionally praising his father during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, where he said, “That’s my dad,” in a moment that received broad media attention. Public reporting notes that Gus has a nonverbal learning disorder, ADHD, and anxiety disorder, which has shaped how his parents talk about inclusion and disability in politics.

What Trump said about Walz (context for Gus)

Trump’s most widely reported attack came in a Thanksgiving message where he called Tim Walz a “seriously retarded Governor of Minnesota” while also railing against Somali immigrants in the state. The slur is widely recognized as derogatory toward people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and critics argue that using it against a governor whose son has disabilities is especially cruel and stigmatizing.

How this connects to Gus Walz

While Trump’s words were formally aimed at Tim Walz, they landed directly on Gus and others with disabilities because of the nature of the slur. Tim Walz has said this kind of language “demonize[s] our children” and “normalized this type of hateful behavior,” explicitly tying Trump’s rhetoric to the broader disability community and to his own family. Gus’s sister, Hope Walz, has said that Trump’s post sparked renewed online and in‑person abuse directed at their family, particularly at Gus, showing how the rhetoric translated into real- world harassment.

Public response and backlash

Reaction has included:

• Disability advocates and many commentators condemning the use of the slur as damaging and dehumanizing.

• Tim Walz publicly calling Trump’s language “cruelness” and not “normal behavior,” and even challenging Trump to release his MRI results, questioning his fitness and judgment.

• Former officials and media outlets framing the incident as part of a pattern where Trump uses inflammatory insults to deflect from policy criticism and energize parts of his base.

Ongoing fallout for the Walz family

The Walz family has described how this rhetoric has increased hostility toward them:

• Hope Walz said in a now‑deleted TikTok that Trump’s post led to renewed hate directed at Gus, both online and in person.

• Tim Walz has used the episode to argue for more respectful political discourse and to highlight protections and inclusion for people with disabilities, especially around milestones like the anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.