TikToker Sitting Behind Matt Gaetz on Flight Reveals Texts to His Mother About Trump

A passenger who sat behind Matt Gaetz on a flight posted a TikTok revealing what he texted his mom about Donald Trump.

TikTok user @tidesofmarch took to the platform to share a video of Gaetz and his mom arguing about the popularity of war, Iran’s nuclear program and Gaetz’s role in guiding Trump following reports that the US bombed Iran nuclear facilities. It's important to note that Gaetz is a loyal Trump defender and a confidant of the president.

“Remember. These wars are always popular at first,” Gaetz wrote to his mother, “But history turns.” He then suggested she worry about her children’s careers and financial well-being instead.

He also wrote, “I’m trying to guide him, not criticize him,” of Trump. Gaetz added, “Guiding DJT always includes a private and public component. I know how to do it.”

At different points in the conversation, Gaetz’s mother took a few jabs at her son. “Let’s not mess up the media gig,” she wrote, a reference to his current job hosting The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News Network—and, “I guess you more identify with the Obama presidency,” in response to her son’s views on Iran.

Here’s a second video from the TikTok user, which shows the original TikTok without her overlaid text.

Gaetz later confirmed that the texts were real.

“Apparently someone sitting behind me on a flight recorded me without my knowledge,” he tweeted. “They found me texting my mother about news of the day, family finances, and working on my laptop.”

He continued, “Please let this be a reminder to everyone to CALL YOUR MOTHER! (and maybe get a screen protector).”

While Gaetz is now a conservative media pundit, he was previously a member of the House of Representatives for the state of Florida. In 2024, Trump nominated him for Attorney General, but Gaetz later withdrew his candidacy and abruptly resigned from the House amid an investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Ethics on allegations of sex trafficking and drug use.

Over the weekend, reports emerged that the US launched a series of airstrikes at three nuclear facilities in Iran amid the country's escalating conflict with Israel, a US ally. US officials said it was done to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, and Trump later called the assault "very successful."

However, the military strikes reportedly didn't "destroy the core components of the country’s nuclear program and likely only set it back by months," CNN wrote on Tuesday (June 24).