Tim Walz hits back after Trump mocks him, demands MRI release

WASHINGTON, DC: Minnesota Gov Tim Walz hit back on Thursday after President Donald Trump used an ableist insult against him, sparking renewed questions about the 79-year-old president’s recent MRI and broader health disclosures. The exchange unfolded late on November 27 during Trump’s Thanksgiving post on Truth Social.

In a rambling late-night message, Trump lashed out at “citizens” and “patriots” he accused of being “just plain STUPID” on immigration. He then pivoted to Minnesota and its Somali community before launching a personal attack on Walz. Trump used a derogatory term historically aimed at people with intellectual disabilities to describe the Democratic governor, claiming he “does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both.”

Walz, 61, responded quickly. Posting on X, he fired back with a pointed challenge: “Release the MRI results.” His comment alluded to reports that Trump underwent imaging during an October visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a detail the White House has not fully explained.

Donald Trump’s medical tests face scrutiny

According to the summary of Trump’s most recent physical exam on October 10, White House physician Dr Sean Barbabella said the president completed lab work, advanced imaging, and other “preventive health assessments” as part of his routine plan. Barbabella said the goal was “to ensure optimal cardiovascular health and continued wellness” and described Trump’s lab results as “exceptional,” noting that his cardiac age tested as “approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age.”

Despite the upbeat description, Barbabella did not detail what imaging Trump underwent or what the “preventive assessments” entailed.

Trump later told reporters aboard Air Force One on October 27, “I got an MRI. It was perfect.” Neither the White House nor his medical team has clarified why the scan was performed outside his usual April physical schedule or how extensive the imaging was.

Tim Walz amplifies questions about Donald Trump’s transparency

Walz’s short but pointed jab refocused attention on the lack of clarity surrounding Trump’s health, especially after the president’s July diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which blood pools in leg veins, raising pressure and increasing the risk of complications, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Alongside his MRI comment, Walz reposted a screenshot of Trump’s 11:30 pm Truth Social message. Trump’s late-night post also included attacks on Minnesota Rep Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American lawmaker, and unfounded claims that Minnesota was being “taken over” by “hundreds of thousands” of Somali refugees.

Donald Trump repeats false claims about Minnesota’s Somali population

Trump further asserted that “Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for ‘prey,’” insisting that residents were “locked in their homes hoping they will be left alone.”

Donald Trump spoke to reporters after landing at Palm Beach International Airport on October 31, 2025 (Getty Images)

However, US Census data shows about 61,300 Somalis live in Minnesota, representing roughly 1.1% of the state’s population. Minnesota Compass estimates place the number slightly higher, closer to 80,000—still nowhere near Trump’s claim of “hundreds of thousands.”