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Republicans Defend Tim Walz’s Son After MAGA Attacks

A handful of Republicans have spoken out in defense of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s 17-year-old son on social media, who was mocked by several MAGA-affiliated accounts online after getting emotional over his father’s speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Walz, who formally accepted the Democratic vice presidential nomination at the party’s convention in Chicago Wednesday night, has been open that his son, Gus, has a non-verbal learning disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and an anxiety disorder. During his father’s acceptance speech, Gus was seen crying and cheering his father on from the crowd, standing alongside Walz’s wife, Gwen, and their 23-year-old daughter Hope.
Early into the speech, after the governor gave his family members a shoutout from the podium, cameras showed Gus crying and gesturing toward the stage, and appeared to say, “That’s my dad.”
The moment, which many users on social platforms like X (formerly Twitter) praised as “heartwarming,” was criticized by users who align themselves with former President Donald Trump’s “Make American Great Again” movement. One user wrote in a post Thursday morning that Gus Walz was a “beta.” Another user said late Wednesday, “Get that kid a tampon already.”
But conservative podcaster Ben Shapiro, who is a supporter of Trump, said in a post to X Thursday that Gus Walz’s reaction “is really quite nice.” Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Republican Senator John McCain, also criticized any accounts who were attacking Gus.
“I honestly can’t believe there is any conversation about Gov. Walz family,” read McCain’s post Thursday afternoon. “Conventions are very intense experiences and outward displays of love should be celebrated. Any ‘republican’ saying otherwise is just helping destroy more of the GOP’s credibility and aiding a Trump loss.”
Conservative media personality Matt Walsh also defended against any “right-wingers” who were bashing Gus Walz’s reaction.
“Attacking a kid for loving his dad is the dumbest move I’ve seen by right wingers on this site in a while,” Walsh wrote to X. “Literally no benefit to it at all. Some people on our side have no ability to think strategically. Frustrating.”
Newsweek has reached out to Walz’s office via email for comment.
Walz’s speech Wednesday night gave the relatively unknown Minnesota Democrat a chance to introduce himself to voters nationwide. The former high school teacher and congressman leaned heavily into his experiences in the public school system, including making several references to his days as a high school football coach.
“It’s the fourth quarter, we’re down a field goal but we’re on offense and we’ve got the ball,” Walz said as he wrapped up his speech. “We’re driving down the field and boy do we have the right team.”
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