Governor Walz condemns presidential slur as 'cruelness'
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has delivered a powerful response to former President Donald Trump's use of a disability slur against him, describing the remarks as an example of Trump's 'cruelness'. The Democratic governor appeared on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday 30th November 2025 to address Trump's Thanksgiving Day rant, where the former president used a term widely considered offensive towards people with disabilities.
Walz, speaking both as a former educator and as a parent of a child with disabilities, told host Kristen Welker that using such language was 'just so damaging'. The governor's son Gus lives with multiple conditions including nonverbal learning disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorder.
Timing coincides with disabilities education milestone
Trump's controversial comments came at a particularly significant moment - just before the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This landmark legislation guarantees students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education across the United States.
The timing highlighted what Walz characterised as a pattern of behaviour from Trump. 'He's normalized this type of hateful behaviour and this type of language,' Walz stated during the interview. The governor suggested the remarks stemmed from Trump being 'not a good human being' and served to distract from discussions about competency.
Personal and political context of the clash
This incident represents the latest chapter in the ongoing political conflict between Walz and Trump. During the 2024 presidential election, Walz served as Kamala Harris's main attack dog, famously describing Republicans as 'weird' while receiving some criticism for his surprisingly cordial approach to Trump's running mate JD Vance during their debate.
Walz's personal connection to disability issues extends beyond his family life. Before entering politics, he worked as a teacher and previously spoke with The Independent about accommodating students with disabilities in his classroom. His son Gus gained international attention during the 2024 Democratic National Convention when he emotionally declared 'That's my dad' while expressing pride in his father.
The governor also addressed his social media response to Trump's original post, where he challenged the former president to release his MRI results. Walz contrasted Trump's Thanksgiving behaviour with his own family's activities, noting they had eaten together, played Yahtzee, and cheered for American football. 'This guy is apparently in a room ranting about everything else,' Walz observed. 'This is not normal behaviour. It's not healthy.'
This isn't the first time Trump has faced criticism for comments about people with disabilities. During his initial presidential campaign, he famously mocked New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis. The Trump administration also drew concern during a government shutdown when it eliminated most staff at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, though these positions were later reinstated.
When questioned about whether Democrats were policing language by criticising disability slurs, Walz clarified his position: 'You can use that word, sure. You can use that language. But you shouldn't. And that's something that Donald Trump fails to realise. But again, Kristen, this is cruelness. This is meanness, it's aimed at a broader community.'
