Donald Trump defends using the R-word slur after being called out by his nephew

Donald Trump has drawn heavy criticism after using an ableist slur to insult Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in a recent Truth Social post. The 79-year-old president posted a long message about what he described as America’s “refugee burden,” singling out Walz and accusing him of allowing large numbers of Somali refugees into the state.

In the post, Trump referred to Walz using the R-word, sparking widespread outrage across social media. Many condemned the language as deeply offensive toward people with disabilities.

Among those who spoke out was Trump’s own nephew, Fred Trump III, whose son has a disability. He said the slur is “never acceptable” and questioned how such language has become part of political discourse.

Other social media users echoed this, saying the normalization of derogatory rhetoric in politics is disturbing. Many highlighted that Trump’s comments were made in what was intended as a public holiday message.

When a reporter later pressed Trump about whether he stood by using the slur, he doubled down, insisting that “something is wrong” with Walz. He also criticized Somalia, claiming the country “doesn’t function like a country.”

Walz responded by urging Trump to release results from his recent MRI scan. When asked about this, Trump dismissed Walz as “incompetent” but said he was open to releasing the results, comparing the situation to his “perfect” phone call that led to his impeachment.

The White House has been contacted for further comment.