Imagine settling into your airplane seat, glancing at the row in front of you—and realizing you’re watching a former U.S.
congressman texting his mom about politics, finances, and Donald Trump.
That’s exactly what happened when a fellow passenger recorded Matt Gaetz mid-flight, revealing a surprisingly personal and politically loaded chat.
Caught on Camera: Gaetz Texts His Mom About Trump and TV Ratings
In a now-viral TikTok video posted by the account ‘tidesofmarch’, Matt Gaetz is seen on a flight, casually dressed in a blue zip-up and khakis, headphones around his neck, texting away.
But this wasn’t just small talk.
The video, captioned “POV: You’re sitting behind Matt Gaetz and he’s texting his mommy,” zoomed in on a back-and-forth exchange with his mother, Vicky Gaetz.
And it wasn’t all family chit-chat.
The messages touched on Gaetz’s relationship with former President Trump, his media career, and even warnings from his mom about keeping MAGA fans happy.
“Don’t Criticize Trump,” Mom Warns
At one point, Vicky urged her son to play it safe on his TV show:
“Don’t be criticizing the president or his actions.
He’s trying to keep us safe…
MAGA will turn on you.
You will lose viewership.”
She reminded him that his congressional days are over and advised him not to ruin his media gig.
Her tone suggested concern—not just for his public image, but also for how Trump and his base might react to any perceived disloyalty.
Gaetz Pushes Back
But Gaetz, now a news anchor on One America News (OAN), wasn’t backing down.
“I’m trying to guide him, not criticize him,” he responded, insisting he has a unique understanding of how to influence Trump.
“Guiding DJT always includes a private and public component.
I know how to do it.”
He went on to reflect on past political missteps:
“I think about the people who cheered the Iraq war because they liked Bush.
Those people have blood on their hands.”
A Peek Into His Personal Life (and His Bank Account)
The texts also took a surprisingly personal turn.
When his mother asked, “How many times do you want to hit the wall?”, Gaetz replied with a confident brag:
“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.”
Apparently, he wanted to reassure her—and maybe himself—that things were under control.
Gaetz Reacts to the Viral Video
Once the video blew up online, Gaetz took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm it was real and express his annoyance:
“Apparently someone sitting behind me on a flight recorded me without my knowledge…
texting my mother about news of the day, family finances, and working on my laptop.”
He tried to lighten the mood with a cheeky reminder:
“Please let this be a reminder to everyone to CALL YOUR MOTHER!”
And when people mocked the large font size on his phone, he owned up:
“My eyesight has gotten very poor in recent years.”
A Reminder of a Tumultuous Career Shift
It’s easy to forget Gaetz once held serious political clout.
He gave up his congressional seat last year after being considered for the role of Trump’s attorney general.
That nomination fell apart amid explosive allegations about his personal life and partying habits.
Now, as a TV host, he’s navigating a different kind of spotlight—one where even a private conversation with his mom can become headline news.
What’s Next?
While Gaetz might have meant the exchange to be just a family conversation, it’s turned into a glimpse of how political figures manage their image, alliances, and family ties behind the scenes.
Whether it hurts or helps his media career, time—and ratings—will tell.