Right-Wing Pundit Ann Coulter Slammed For Insulting Tim Walz’s Neurodivergent Son, Gus

Right-wing commentator Ann Coulter faced intense criticism on social media for a now-deleted post in which she mocked the emotional behavior of Gov. Tim Walz‘s (D-Minnesotta) neurodivergent son, Gus, during the Democratic National Convention.

At the DNC, Gus became visibly emotional when his father addressed the family directly and spoke about their fertility struggles. He shouted, “That’s my dad!” through tears, as the governor expressed his love for his son, daughter, and wife.

“Talk about weird …” Coulter posted on X alongside a link to an article about Gus’ emotional reaction. This was seen as a nod to Walz’s previous use of the descriptor “weird” to describe the former president and his running mate, a messaging that has been widely adopted by prominent Democrats.

The Walz family has been open about Gus’s neurodiversity, as he has a nonverbal learning disorder and ADHD. The reaction to Gus’s emotional display went viral online and has drawn attention to the importance of supporting and celebrating individuals with learning disabilities and other neurological differences.

In response to Coulter’s post, Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, posted her objection to Coulter’s remark online, in which she addressed her own identity as a neurodivergent, as she was diagnosed with OCD, ADHD and several learning disorders at the age of 14. “We’re not weird, we’re wonderful,” she wrote. “And we’re your family, friends and fellow Americans.”

Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-New York) condemned the attack and stated that he may not agree with the vice presidential candidate on political issues, but he believes “in shielding our children from attack.”

“His son Gus, our kids – neurodivergent and of all abilities – ought to be celebrated and supported,” Molinaro said and referenced his own organization, ThinkDIFFERENTLY, which aims to help communities support people with special needs.

In a subsequent post, Coulter claimed she had deleted her original remark about Gus because “someone told me he’s autistic,” but she also criticized Democrats for “going around calling everyone weird thinking it’s hilariously funny.”

Coulter was in the news recently after she told Vivek Ramaswamy that she would not vote for him “because he’s Indian” despite agreeing with him on most issues.