- Matt Gaetz's private texts with his mother were leaked by a fellow passenger on a flight
- Gaetz's mother warned him not to criticise Trump, citing risks with MAGA supporters
- Gaetz revealed personal finances, including two penthouse condos and $500k in cash
A text exchange between former Congress Representative Matt Gaetz and his mother about US President Donald Trump's actions on national security has been leaked. He was on a flight when a fellow passenger made the conversation viral.
In her message, Gaetz's mother appeared to scold him for trying to contradict Trump, something that could upset MAGA supporters. In addition to this, he also revealed personal finance details, including the assets he owns and the money in his bank account.
The fellow passenger shared the 72-second clip on his TikTok account with the caption, "POV: You're sitting behind Matt Gaetz and he's texting his mommy," as per The NY Post.
Responding to this tweet, Gaetz wrote, "Apparently someone sitting behind me on a flight recorded me without my knowledge," adding, "They found me texting my mother about news of the day, family finances, and working on my laptop. Please let this be a reminder to everyone to CALL YOUR MOTHER! (and maybe get a screen protector)."
In one of the texts, Gaetz's mother warned him not to speak against Trump. She wrote, "Don't be criticising the president or his actions. He's trying to keep us safe. That's his job. MAGA will turn on you. You will lose viewership."
She told her son, the host of 'The Matt Gaetz Show' on One America News Network, that the president had been a very good friend to him. "He hates betrayal. Be smart, not stubborn," she added.
Referring to his show, she mentioned, "Your days in Congress are over ... let's not mess up the media gig."
In his response, Gaetz said he was not criticising Trump and was only trying to guide him. He added that now that he was no longer in Congress, he felt free to speak openly and would continue doing so.
The text message read, "I'm trying to guide him, not criticize him," adding, "I've never been freer to share my views - and I'll continue to do so. I think about the people who cheered for the Iraq War because they liked Bush. Those people have blood on their hands."
When his mother asked, "How many times do you want to hit the wall?"
He shared, "I'm a happily married man with a son on the way, two penthouse condos, a 1:1 real estate asset-to-debt ratio ... and $500k in my bank account cash. I guess I'll keep hitting it till I die".
Last year, Trump nominated Gaetz to be attorney general but the nomination was withdrawn following allegations that he paid two women for sex and had an affair with a 17-year-old.
