Trigger Warning: The article mentions references to derogatory remarks.
President Donald Trump is known for his distinctive style, including his jabs at critics, rude remarks toward journalists, and attacks on members of the opposition party. As the year ends, Trump has renewed controversy after doubling down on his use of a derogatory slur against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
An official pro-Trump X account, @RapidResponse47, reposted Trump’s Thanksgiving message in which the president used an ableist insult against Walz while responding to the governor’s criticism of Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud in Minnesota. In the repost, most of Trump’s words were blurred, leaving only one line visible.
As per The Daily Beast, those lines read, “The seriously ret—ed Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both.”
https://t.co/GlsJiaIvYE pic.twitter.com/BOYQH9SlgK
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 30, 2025
Governor Tim Walz and Donald Trump have a history of several online clashes, due to political differences. Walz’s original post coincided with an announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services that it was temporarily halting child care payments to Minnesota, according to a statement shared by Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill.
On December 30, the decision was announced after allegations made by conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley, who claimed that Somali American-run daycare centers in Minneapolis were responsible for as much as $100 million in fraud.
“We have shut off the funding and are investigating the fraud,” O’Neill said.
After Trump’s derogatory post, the governor said he has been the victim of harassment, including individuals driving past his home while shouting the slur. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Walz said at a press conference.
Governor Tim Walz says people are driving by his house and shouting the R-word after Donald Trump called him “seriously retarded” on social media. pic.twitter.com/O2UJF5OtMQ
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) December 7, 2025
“People are driving by my house yelling slurs in front of my family, and not a single Republican elected official has said that’s unacceptable.”
Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the United States, and many families rely on the affected $185 million in federal funding for several low-income households.
At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would audit immigration cases involving Somali Americans accused of immigration fraud, which could put their citizenship at risk.
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors claim that about $9 billion has been stolen from Minnesota social assistance programs since 2018, including $300 million taken from a children’s nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump’s administration says an investigation launched in 2022 found that 98 individuals have been charged in connection with the cases, 85 of whom are identified as being of Somali descent. In late November, Trump accused “Somali gangs” of terrorizing Minnesotans and ended Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals.
Soon after, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the bureau has deployed additional personnel to Minnesota to investigate alleged fraud involving federal programs. These claims have made life difficult for Somali communities beyond the state. Minnesota Attorney General Nick Brown said that home-based daycare providers were being harassed based on unverified news.
NO! @GovTimWalz & AG Office were on point!
108,000 #Somali‘s live in #Minnesota, 60% are American born, & 87% are naturalized citizens who work hard & pay $1.4 billion in taxes!
It’s un-American to demonize a whole community because of 90 grifters!
https://t.co/Hm3tnMI27j pic.twitter.com/lBFYxYvYFC
— jshore (@jshoreboston) December 30, 2025
“Threatening people, showing up at their homes, or filming minors is not an investigation,” he said. “It is unsafe and dangerous behavior.” Consequently, this is not the first time Trump has used the R word.
Previously, he posted against the governor on Truth Social as he blamed Somalians for misusing billions of dollars and terrorizing Minnesota. He declared the state a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” under Democratic Governor Walz.
Meanwhile, during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Walz said he did not take Trump’s remarks personally; instead, he ” took it as a badge of honor” and questioned his credibility as a leader who has normalized using foul language online.
