CHICAGO — A tearful, unscripted moment between Tim Waltz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has sparked a flood of praise and admiration — but also some ugly online bullying.
Gus Waltz, who has anxiety and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as a nonverbal learning disability, watched excitedly from the front row of Chicago’s United Center on Wednesday night and openly cried as his father, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, delivered his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The Minnesota governor spoke about the difficult fertility treatments he and his wife Gwen went through to have their daughter, Hope.
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Waltz went on to express his love for his family from the stage, saying, “Hope, Gus, Gwen, you guys mean my world, and I love you.”
Gus Waltz jumped up from his seat with tears in his eyes, pointed with his index finger and said, “I love you, Dad,” followed quickly by, “Those are my dad’s words!”
The touching moment between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly went viral and was widely acclaimed online and on the radio.
Fox News shared a video of the viral moment on its TikTok page, writing, “Gus Waltz steals the show during his father’s acceptance speech,” and the comments have been overwhelmingly positive.
“I want to inspire kids so much that they will cry like Gus Waltz when they see me speak about the dreams and passion I have for our country,” Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, wrote on X.
“@Tim_Walz dedicated his life to service and clearly exceeded expectations in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father in every way,” he wrote. “We should all be so lucky to know that kind of love.”
Speaking before Walz on Wednesday night, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota praised the love between Walz and his children.
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“I know I’m doing a good job as a parent when my kids are as proud of me as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,” she wrote to X. “‘This is my dad.’ No words can better describe the VP-elect.”
Actress Mia Farrow added, “Oh my goodness! When Gwen and Tim Waltz’s adorable son, Gus Waltz, proudly cried out, ‘That’s my daddy,’ I fell in love with him.”
Trump supporter and podcaster Gus Waltz calls him a “vain beta male.”
But the display of affection prompted a lot of sarcasm and ugly comments on social media, many of them from MAGA supporters of former President Donald Trump, who is facing off against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in November.
Conservative columnist and right-wing provocateur Ann Coulter mocked the girl’s tears: “That’s weird,” she wrote to X in a message that has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and podcaster from New Jersey, mocked Waltz’s “whining, stupid son of a bitch” on X, adding, “You raised your kid to be a vain beta male. Congrats.”
Alec Race, a Trump supporter who hosts a podcast about fatherhood, also criticized the teenager, writing, “Hurry up and get that girl a tampon,” in an apparent reference to a Minnesota law signed by Walz as governor that requires schools to provide free menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that conservative Milwaukee radio host Jay Weber wrote a since-deleted post on X criticizing the Waltz family.
“If the Waltzes represent the modern American man, then our country is a mess. ‘Let me introduce you to my son, Gus. He’s a crybaby son of a bitch. His mother and I are so proud of him.'”
Mr Weber later deleted the post and apologised, claiming he was unaware that Mr Gass had a learning disability.
USA Today reached out to the Walz campaign, who declined to comment.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Chang said in a statement to USA Today that the campaign is “focused on holding Walz and Harris accountable for their dangerously liberal policies that are harmful to America,” without mentioning the bullying posts.
Trump came under fire in 2015 after he appeared to mock a New York Times reporter with a disability, with critics saying his provocations could encourage others to do the same.
Advocates say the posts reflect the bullying kids face all the time.
Advocates for children with learning disabilities were outraged by the vicious attacks directed at the Waltz family.
“The cyberbullying of Gus Waltz is not just cruel, it’s a painful reminder of the challenges kids with disabilities face every day,” said Katie Nease, CEO of The Arc of the United, a Washington nonprofit that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than their peers, Neese said.
“In other words, our society is teaching countless children with disabilities that they are inferior because of factors beyond their control, such as their emotional expression or disability,” she says. “Worse yet, bullying directly impacts their academic achievement, leading to fewer opportunities in adulthood. When we don’t understand or value children’s experiences, we are failing them.”
Kristen Ecclestone, a former special education teacher and campaigner for children with social and emotional needs, said research showed bullying behaviour often stems from a combination of factors, including a desire for social dominance, a lack of empathy and the modelling of aggressive behaviour at home.
“Children with learning disabilities are particularly vulnerable because their communication and social skills are limited, and they may be viewed as easy targets by bullies,” said Eccleston, who works for Bethesda, Maryland-based Weinfeld Education Group, which works with parents to help their children get the help and services they need.
more:‘That’s my dad!’: Gus Waltz reacts emotionally during Tim Waltz’s Democratic National Convention speech
“As a parent, it’s heartbreaking to see your child subjected to such cruel treatment,” Ecclestone says. “When a child is being bullied, like Gus, it’s vital to surround them with love, validate their feelings and remind them that other people’s hurtful opinions do not determine their worth. Families should use these public experiences to foster open dialogue about feelings and help their children develop strong assertiveness skills and a healthy sense of self.”
Ann Strober, whose son has autism, said the bullying Gus Waltz is experiencing is despicable.
“To me, this just shows how dehumanized a lot of people are,” she said. “So many people feel so empowered now because of social media, because they can sit down at a keyboard and say whatever they want to say anonymously. It’s still hurtful, whether it’s in person or online. It just doesn’t exist.”
Public schools often fail to stop bullying behavior, so parents concerned about their children’s safety often choose to keep them out of school or home-school them, said Strober, who lives in North Potomac, Maryland, and works with parents through the Weinfeld Education Group.
“No matter what political party their parents are, no child should be subject to bullying, especially not by adults,” she said. “Gus won’t see all the hateful comments his parents make, but other kids will, and it will certainly be damaging to them and their families.”
Brianne Pfannenstiel The Des Moines Register contributed to this report.
