Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz has ignited social media yet again, this time for making a puzzling, seemingly derogatory comment about billionaire Elon Musk. Walz, who has clashed with Musk in the past over his open support for Donald Trump, has now raised eyebrows by apparently stumbling into an implication about Musk’s sexuality — and not in a flattering context.

While speaking at a campaign rally in Detroit, Walz launched into a criticism of tax breaks for billionaires, specifically referencing Musk. He stumbled, saying, “If you’re a billionaire, Elon Musk, for example, say, that gah… that gay got…,” before snickering. He tried to recover, saying, “Michigan knows that word,” and finished with, “that dude got a tax cut and the rest of us got shafted.”

The gaffe might have passed with little notice, but Walz’s apparent smirk and attempt to play the fumble off only amplified the reaction. Social media users were quick to criticize the off-hand comment, calling it juvenile and unbecoming of a candidate. For a public figure like Walz, many found his slip both inappropriate and, frankly, offensive. If Musk were gay, as some commentators pointed out, he wouldn’t need Walz to out him. And given Musk’s high-profile relationships, the billionaire’s personal life is far from a mystery.

Walz, a self-professed “knucklehead,” may have been caught in an honest slip of the tongue, but his decision to double down on the gaffe has left him at the mercy of the internet. Here’s a sample of responses pouring in across social platforms:

This is the guy calling Elon Musk gay? pic.twitter.com/Hdc2WZPP31

— ZNO 🇺🇸 (@therealZNO) November 1, 2024

The moment may have been a slip-up, but it’s clear it won’t be forgotten anytime soon.