Governor's Sharp Retort Follows Presidential Insult
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has delivered a pointed response to former President Donald Trump after being targeted with a mental health slur during Trump's Thanksgiving social media outburst. The Democratic governor, who was Kamala Harris's running mate in the previous election cycle, fired back with just four words that shifted focus onto Trump's own cognitive claims.
Trump's holiday message began with seasonal greetings before descending into a series of attacks against various targets, including what he called the "politically correct," migrants, refugees, and eventually Governor Walz. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the former president specifically questioned Walz's decision-making abilities, suggesting the governor acts either through "fear, incompetence, or both."
The Four-Word Counterpunch
Walz's response was both brief and strategic. Sharing a screenshot of Trump's rant on his X account, the governor wrote: "release the MRI results" - a direct reference to Trump's recent medical examination. Earlier in November, Trump had told reporters he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test as part of his physical, describing the procedure as "very standard" and claiming his doctor said it was "the best result he has ever seen."
This exchange represents the latest escalation in political tensions between the two figures and comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Trump's health since his return to office. Photographs have shown bruising on the 79-year-old's hand, and he was reportedly checked for mild swelling in his legs during the summer months.
Pattern of Behaviour and Health Claims
Trump has consistently insisted he remains in excellent health, repeating this assertion in a Truth Social post this week. "There will be a day when I run low on Energy, it happens to everyone, but with a PERFECT PHYSICAL EXAM AND A COMPREHENSIVE COGNITIVE TEST ('That was aced') JUST RECENTLY TAKEN, it certainly is not now!" the former president wrote.
This incident marks neither the first time Trump has used similar language against political opponents nor his first controversy involving disability references. In 2015, during his initial presidential campaign, Trump publicly mocked Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Serge Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis - a condition affecting joint movement. At a rally, Trump imitated Kovaleski's physical mannerisms while referring to him as "the poor guy."
The Thanksgiving exchange between Trump and Walz highlights the increasingly personal nature of political discourse in America, with health and mental acuity becoming frequent points of contention between opposing figures.
