Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's son, Gus Walz, suffers from ADHD, anxiety and learning disabilities.
In August 2024, on the third day of the Democratic National Convention, Gus Waltz, the son of vice presidential candidate Tim Waltz, made headlines for his emotional support of his father.
“Hope, Gus, Gwen, you guys mean my world and I love you guys,” the Minnesota governor said, as the camera cut to Gus standing up in tears and screaming, “That's my dad!” as his father took the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
As the video spread, many conservative media personalities, including Ann Coulter, mocked Gass, calling the 17-year-old a “freak” in a since-deleted post by X.
However, one post went viral describing Gus as “neurodiverse” and suffering from “ADHD, anxiety and a non-verbal learning disorder.” One post defending the teenager said: “Children and teens like Gus can have difficulty regulating their emotions in social situations. What you saw tonight was raw, unfiltered pure love and emotion.”
According to a statement from his parents to People magazine in August 2024, Gus does indeed suffer from ADHD, anxiety, and a non-verbal learning disorder, so we rate this claim “True.”
The Waltzes said Gus' symptoms were also “his secret power.”
As the youngest son, Gus, grew up, it became increasingly clear that he was different from his classmates: he preferred video games and spent a lot of time alone.
As Gus became a teenager, we learned he suffered from anxiety and ADHD, as well as a nonverbal learning disability — conditions that affect millions of Americans.
“Like many American families, it took time to figure out how to do all we could to help Gus succeed as he grew up,” the couple said.
It took time, but it soon became apparent that Gus' condition was not a disability, but his secret power.
The family added that Gus is “intelligent, extremely sensitive to small details that many of us overlook, and best of all, he's a wonderful son and brother to his siblings. We love Gus and are proud of the way he is growing up, and we're so excited to be with him on this journey.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “neurodiversity” is not a medical term, but rather describes “people whose brains develop or work differently for some reason — that is, they have strengths and challenges that make their brains develop or work differently than normal. Some neurodiverse people have medical conditions, but people who do not have an identified medical condition or diagnosis can also be neurodiverse.”
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and it's a common condition among people who identify as having the neurodevelopmental disorder. According to the Mayo Clinic, ADHD refers to a persistent combination of problems, including difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior.
According to the Mayo Clinic:
The main features of ADHD are inattention and hyperactive/impulsive behavior. ADHD symptoms begin before age 12 and can become evident as early as age 3 in some children. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe and can continue into adulthood.
ADHD is more prevalent in men than women, and boys and girls may behave differently – for example, boys tend to be more hyperactive, while girls tend to be quieter and more distracted.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, nonverbal learning disabilities affect activities that don't involve words or speech, such as problem-solving, visuospatial tasks, and recognizing social cues. These disorders can be managed with certain accommodations.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, anxiety disorders are “a group of mental illnesses that cause fear, anxiety, or other symptoms that are out of proportion to the situation.” These include generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and social anxiety disorder.
While the Waltzes have chosen to keep Gus' health information public, the specifics of his anxiety and learning disabilities are not known to the public, making it difficult to speculate about his symptoms or how he behaves in public. His emotional response to his father's speech is likely to occur in any teenager, with or without neurodevelopmental disorders.