The official GOP account on X faced swift backlash over the weekend after it posted a mocking message about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
The post came during Saturday’s "No Kings Day" protests, which drew large crowds and widespread online support. Walz had joined others in expressing solidarity, tweeting the simple words, "No kings."
However, the GOP account responded with a quote-retweet that took a significantly different tone due to the underlying implications. It shared a photo of Walz smiling and waving as he walked onto a stage during the 2024 presidential race. Alongside the image, the account wrote, "No Queens."
Although conservative users reacted with laughing emojis, many others quickly criticized the post across social media.
Critics on social media called the post what it was: homophobic
Folks across X described the tweet as immature and offensive. Many argued that the message relied on homophobic undertones rather than any kind of substantive criticism.
@ellonico wrote, "so the gop is just openly making homophobic jabs on main now." Meanwhile, @mattxiv said the post came off as hypocritical, adding that it mocked others while ignoring issues within the party.
Others leaned into sarcasm. @TheRickWilson wrote, "Your boss wears more makeup than RuPaul, unironically loves YMCA, and does a double hand job dance."
In addition, @CharitieHartsig shared a longer reflection, writing, "Sometimes, I feel a little guilty for being so disrespectful of Republicans. But I quickly recover […] Republicans will remind me who they are."
Several people also pointed out what they saw as inconsistencies. They referenced past photos of political figures like JD Vance dressed in drag and pointed out some GOP leaders' connections to the Epstein files, including President Donald Trump himself.
@yashar joked, "For two seconds I thought the official GOP account tweeted out a photo of Lindsey Graham."
At the same time, some reactions focused less on the content and more on tone. @rumpfshaker compared the post to "middle school boys hopped up on Mountain Dew," arguing that it lacked maturity.
Even conservatives’ reactions drew criticism
While critics piled on, some conservative figures responded to the original tweet with emojis rather than commentary. Senator Ted Cruz reposted it with a flushed-face emoji, which prompted further backlash, and even George Santos responded with a skull emoji.
People quickly turned their attention to those reactions, questioning why elected officials engaged with the post at all.
Former party members also spoke out. @JenniferEValent wrote, "My former party is now nothing but a cadre of juvenile idiots […] It is now a vast wasteland of whining grievance and brainless trolling."
Meanwhile, California State Senator Scott Wiener responded directly to the sentiment behind the GOP tweet. He wrote, "Yes many queens, especially of the drag variety. The kind of queen that triggers you because of your petty small brain."
As criticism continued, some people called for accountability. @AlexanderMcCoy4 suggested that journalists should ask openly gay Republican figures whether they supported posts like this.
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