Former Rep. Matt Gaetz was caught texting his mother for advice on how to handle a situation involving President Trump — during a lengthy chat where the TV host also boasted about his real estate holdings and mentioned having "$500,000 in the bank."
In the 72-second clip secretly filmed by a fellow passenger on a recent flight and shared on TikTok by the user 'tidesofmarch,' Gaetz's messages were clearly visible due to the camera zooming in on his phone screen, making the text bold easy to read. The user captioned the exchange "POV: You're sitting behind Matt Gaetz and he's texting his mommy." The video has since gone viral exposing Gaetz.
Gaetz Exposed
In the video, Gaetz, 43, is seen wearing a blue quarter-zip sweater and khaki pants, with headphones resting around his neck, as he scrolls through an animated text exchange with his mother.
While the secretly filmed clip got a light-hearted response, the messages between Gaetz and his mom, Vicky Gaetz, might pose serious issues for the TV host.
During the text exchange, Vicky Gaetz warned her son, "Don't be criticizing 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," the doting mother warned.
"Your time in Congress is over ... let's not mess up the media gig," she advised, referring to his role as host of The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News Network, which he began back in January.
"The president has been a very good friend to you. He hates betrayal. Be smart, not stubborn," his mom said.
"I'm trying to guide him, not criticize him," Gaetz replied.
"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," he said.
Mom's Advice Goes Viral
Vicky advised her son not to try steering the famously headstrong president, prompting Gaetz to respond, "Guiding DJT always includes a private and public component ... I know how to do it," he asserted.
The exchange soon shifted to his financial situation, with his mother asking, "How many times do you want to hit into a wall?"
Gaetz responded by boasting about his wealth and family background. "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," he touted.
While discussing Iran, Gaetz said that the Islamic Republic has "been three months away from getting a nuke since 1992."
Following the viral spread of the exchange, Gaetz reacted on X with a humorous tone. "Apparently someone sitting behind me on a flight recorded me without my knowledge. They found me texting my mother about news of the day, family finances, and working on my laptop," he wrote.
"Please let this be a reminder to everyone to CALL YOUR MOTHER! (and maybe get a screen protector)"
Responding to a question on X about the large text size on his phone, 43-year-old Gaetz explained, "My eyesight has gotten very poor in recent years."
Gaetz vacated his seat in Congress last year after Trump selected him for the role of attorney general, but he later withdrew his name from consideration amid ongoing controversies surrounding his private life — including accusations that he paid two women for sex and had a relationship with a 17-year-old.
