Donald Trump celebrates Thanksgiving by insulting Tim Walz, but the Minnesota Governor ends up having the last laugh

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz dropped the perfect response to Donald Trump‘s Thanksgiving Day post, which called, among other claims, Walz the “r-word” slur for his state’s immigration policies.

“R-word” aside, Trump’s long holiday screed had a lot to unpack. He claimed “hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia” were “completely taking over” Minnesota, alleged that “Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for ‘prey’,” and blamed Walz for doing “nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both.”

Then, he vowed to “permanently pause migration” from what he called “poor nations” or “Third World countries.” He concluded with a “Happy Thanksgiving” — but with a caveat: excluding those he accused of “hate, steal, murder, and destroy everything that America stands for.”

Trump’s “r-word” slur

But in the middle, Trump wrote, “The seriously r—ded Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz,” before aiming at Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, alleging, among other things, that she married her brother to get into the country.

Among all the misleading, offensive, and just plain wrong parts of the post, using the “r-word” slur for Walz was particularly cruel, as Walz’s son, Gus, lives with a non-verbal learning disorder, along with ADHD and an anxiety disorder.

Walz didn’t point that out, though, in his response. Instead, he shared Trump’s post and said, “Release the MRI results,” refocusing the discussion on Trump’s several recent MRIs, about which the White House has disclosed little information, including why they were done, and what they found.

In late October, Trump, 79, called the MRI results “perfect,” according to Reuters. The White House has only called them part of a routine checkup. But medical experts have pointed out that MRIs are not part of a standard medical exam, and that Trump’s most recent visit to Walter Reed lasted longer than it would typically take.

White House physician to former President Barack Obama, Jeffrey Kuhlman, told The Hill he believes Trump likely underwent advanced imaging during his most recent visit.

“It’s about an eight-minute helicopter ride from the South Lawn to Walter Reed,” Kuhlman said. “So we know that he at least had four hours available to undergo medical care. There’s a disconnect there.” 

Is Trump experiencing cognitive decline?

This all comes amid growing concern about Trump’s health, the oldest person ever inaugurated. He underwent two previously unannounced MRIs at Walter Reed, including one following his widely discussed stage stumble at a June rally, which the campaign attributed to a “misstep.”

Concerns have also been amplified by Trump’s on-camera moments, including slurred speech, repeated confusion of names, and public insistence that he has “never felt better,” even as aides privately worry about fatigue. Public-health analysts told Politico that voters should expect clearer disclosures from any major-party nominee, given the job’s demands and Trump’s age.

Still, the White House and Trump’s medical team have insisted the former president remains “in excellent health,” pointing to a brief statement from Trump’s physician, Dr. Bruce Aronwald, who said the exams were “routine.” However, the lack of detail in Aronwald’s note, combined with the secrecy surrounding the imaging appointments, fueled speculation among medical experts and former administration officials.