Rep. Tim Burchett reacted sharply online this week after coming across a TikTok video in which a group of people flipped off President Donald Trump while blasting the song “Fck Donald Trump.” The clip, captioned “Fck Donald Trump all the way around !!!!,” did not gain major traction on TikTok but spread quickly once it was reposted to X, where Burchett noticed it.
One repost on X claimed, without evidence, that the group was reacting to “work requirements for food stamps.” Burchett fired back at that version of the clip, writing, “Get off your fat ass. I am tired of carrying you.”
His comment stood out in part because of his recent public defense of food assistance programs. Only weeks earlier, Burchett had criticized Senate Democrats during the government shutdown, arguing that withholding SNAP “food stamps” harmed struggling families. He said at the time that “pain should not be leverage” and called on lawmakers to prioritize restoring benefits.
“While the Democrats play games with the #SchumerShutdown, Americans suffer. I’m suspending campaign fundraising until SNAP Benefits are restored, and I encourage my supporters to give to their local food banks,” he wrote in another post. He also visited a Tennessee food bank to draw attention to the issue.
The government shutdown, which became the longest in U.S. history, ended last week after eight Senate Democrats joined Republicans to pass legislation reopening federal agencies. Burchett had used the moment to push for relief for the roughly 40 million Americans who rely on SNAP, saying lawmakers should not use hunger as a bargaining chip.
His latest online clash, however, drew attention for its strikingly different tone. Burchett made no mention of food assistance in his reply to the TikTok users, instead choosing a blunt personal attack that spread widely once shared by others on X. The identities of the people in the video remain unknown.
The incident has sparked debate among social media users about how elected officials engage with critics online, especially in moments of political tension. Burchett has long maintained an active and sometimes confrontational presence on social platforms, often mixing policy messaging with personal commentary.
For now, the viral exchange adds another moment to a turbulent political week shaped by the end of the shutdown and ongoing battles over federal assistance programs. Whether Burchett’s sharp response will create further fallout remains to be seen, but it has already contributed to renewed discussion about the tone of political discourse heading into the next legislative fight.