President Donald Trump dismissed criticism regarding his recent use of a mental health slur against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, telling reporters on Air Force One that he stands by the remarks “absolutely.”
The controversy stems from a Thanksgiving Day post on Truth Social in which the president levied an ableist insult at Walz, the former running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, while criticizing the governor’s handling of immigration and the Somali community in Minnesota.
When pressed by the traveling press pool on whether he maintained his position despite the backlash, Trump did not retreat.
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“Yeah, I think there’s something wrong with him,” Trump said. “Absolutely. Sure. You have a problem with it? You know what? I think there’s something wrong with him.”
The president pivoted immediately to policy grievances, specifically attacking Walz for welcoming Somali immigrants. “Anybody that would do what he did, anybody that would allow those people into his state and pay billions of dollars out to Somalia– We give billions of dollars to Somalia. It’s not even a country because it doesn’t function like a country,” Trump added.
“Release the MRI Results”
Governor Walz, a former teacher and father of a son with nonverbal learning disorder, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder, initially responded on social media by posting a screenshot of the President’s post with the caption, “Release the MRI results.”
READ: ‘Release The MRI Results’: Minnesota Gov. Walz Fires Back At Trump Amid Somali Crackdown
Appearing on Meet the Press, Walz elaborated on his reaction, framing the president’s rhetoric as a strategic distraction rather than just a personal attack.
“He’s normalized this type of hateful behavior and this type of language,” Walz said. “And mainly, look, at first, I think it’s just because he’s not a good human being, but secondly to distract from using competency.”
Walz noted that as a parent and educator, he views such language as “damaging.”
Political Fallout in Indiana
The exchange has triggered tangible political consequences within the President’s own party. In Indiana, Republican State Senator Mike Bohacek announced he would withdraw support for Trump’s efforts to redraw the state’s congressional district lines specifically because of the slur used against Walz.
Bohacek, whose daughter has Down syndrome, issued a statement on Facebook declaring his opposition to the gerrymandering proposal, demanding the administration prove “his policies and behavior deserve a congressional majority.”
“I have been an unapologetic advocate for people with intellectual disabilities since the birth of my second daughter,” Bohacek wrote. “Those of you that don’t know me or my family might not know that my daughter has Down Syndrome.”
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