(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Gus Walz, the 17-year-old son of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, garnered attention on social media after appearing emotional and brimming with joy in viral videos from the Democratic National Convention.
In one video, Gus is seen standing up and pointing toward his father delivering his DNC speech. “That’s my dad!” Gus murmured as Walz spoke about his children.
On X, commentator Ann Coulter faced criticism after referring to Gus as “weird,” a term that some have used in political attacks against figures like Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio.
Coulter deleted the post after some users pointed out that Gus has a non-verbal learning disorder, although specific details about his condition remain unclear.
Headline USA did not immediately identify any other prominent conservative accounts criticizing Gus, though some leftist pundits claimed such attacks were rampant.
What kind of monster are u to attack a 17 year-old, special needs kid for expressing love for his dad?
Gus Walz is neurodivergent, has ADHD, anxiety, and a nonverbal learning disorder. Teens like Gus can have trouble regulating their emotions in social settings.
Leave him the… pic.twitter.com/XqIVxaf0Sh
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) August 22, 2024
Several conservative users joined the discussion, suggesting that political attacks should be directed at public figures like Vice President Kamala Harris and Walz rather than their children.
“How does attacking this kid help us win? I think we’re better than that and we should take pride in being better than that,” commented podcast host Shawn Farash, known for his pro-Trump content.
“I’m not trying to police speech here… but this is my position: There’s PLENTY to hit Harris and Walz on… Attacking the kid is nothing but a distraction and doesn’t help us win at all,” Farash added.
Long, but important. Please read 👇
This is Tim Walz's son Gus. He was very emotional last night. There are rumors that he's got a learning disability, I don't know if that's true.
I'm just gonna say this: I'm NOT gonna pile on the kid (even if he's 18 you get the point) to… pic.twitter.com/AvLh7YDg5s
— Shawn Farash (@Shawn_Farash) August 22, 2024
The discussion also brought up past instances where the left has subjected children of conservatives to public scrutiny, such as Barron Trump.
Some conservatives criticized Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of Meidas Touch, for making inappropriate suggestions about Barron’s health while complaining about attacks against Gus.
“Remember when you attacked Barron Trump for adoring his father at Trump’s rally? You seem to want to dish it out, but not swallow a dose of your own medicine,” posted controversial journalist Laura Loomer wrote, addressing Filipkowski directly.
Remember when you attacked Barron Trump for adoring his father at Trump’s rally?
You seem to want to dish it out, but not swallow a dose of your own medicine.
It’s obvious that Walz’s son is mentally challenged, and so we can all admit it probably isn’t… https://t.co/gLsDY1tEJZ pic.twitter.com/yZZKC9ztHR
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 22, 2024
Other users suggested that Gus’s sobbing for his dad was somehow indicative of broader fragility among individuals on the left.
Some individuals shared videos comparing Walz’s peculiar entrance during his DNC speech to that of late fitness personality Richard Simmons.
same energy pic.twitter.com/jUjA6pbcHZ
— APOCTOZ (@Apoctoz) August 21, 2024
Others drew parallels between Walz’s walk and that of Bob Currie, a character from the television show Schitt’s Creek.
Good news. I finally figured out who Tim Walz reminds me of. pic.twitter.com/e4HcH62BpY
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) August 20, 2024
