White House aide's false claim triggers social media spat

A political dispute escalated into a personal and widely publicized social media feud this week after a senior White House official made a false claim about a Democratic Senate candidate in Texas. The exchange, which drew in the official's wife and a Democratic National Committee staffer, featured insults about appearances, mental health, and marital status, highlighting the increasingly personal nature of online political discourse.

The incident began on Tuesday when Stephen Miller, a White House deputy chief of staff and senior adviser, posted on social media that Texas Democrats had made history by nominating their first transgender Senate candidate, referring to state Representative James Talarico. Talarico is not transgender, and no evidence supports Miller's claim. In response, the official X account of the Democratic National Committee replied directly to Miller's post with a message telling him to "shut up you ugly f**k."

The DNC's post garnered significant attention, leading Miller's wife, Katie Miller, to enter the conversation the following day. She identified the individual she said administers the DNC account, Paulina Mangubat, by name and posted a photo of her. In...