Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost, a progressive Democrat and the first Gen Z member of Congress, found himself at the center of a political firestorm this week after an old tweet containing rap lyrics resurfaced, drawing widespread criticism from conservatives and online commentators.
The controversy began when a 2016 post from Frost’s Twitter account resurfaced. The tweet read, “f—– wit my gang gon get u spilled,” a lyric from the song Gang by rapper Max P. The line, originally posted when Frost was 19 years old, was a reply to an account named “Hits LeBlunt.”
The phrase, which includes street slang interpreted by some as a reference to violence, was condemned as inappropriate for a sitting member of Congress. The backlash intensified when conservative commentators highlighted the tweet as promoting gang culture—many even mocked the congressman with AI-generated memes labeling him “DeMS-13,” a play on MS-13, the notorious Central American gang.
Frost, who recently returned from a high-profile trip to El Salvador where he advocated for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia—an alleged MS-13 gang member deported under the Trump administration—responded to the backlash with defiance rather than apology.
“Never thought Max P lyrics I tweeted at 19 would get so much attention from MAGA,” he tweeted, referencing the right-wing movement. In another post, he joked, “I’ve only ever been in one gang,” attaching a picture of himself in his high school marching band uniform.
Frost doubled down, tweeting: “Keep looking through my old posts. There has to be some more funny stuff in there. Make sure you tag me.”
The online backlash didn’t let up. Prominent Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, known for his hardline stance against gang violence and close alignment with the Trump administration, responded to the controversy with a simple shoulder shrug emoji—seen by many as a public dismissal of Frost’s credibility.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson reacted to Bukele’s subtle roast with a screenshot and the caption, “Never deleting this app.” Others, like GOP communications strategist Steve Guest, circulated Urban Dictionary definitions of “spilled,” highlighting its violent connotation: “To be murdered. Most likely referring to blood being spilled.”
Right-wing accounts continued piling on. “You are a Congressman. You’re not a gangster,” one popular account commented. “You are held to a high standard. Do better.”
The controversy comes on the heels of Frost’s recent advocacy trip to El Salvador alongside fellow Democrats Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), and Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.). From the ground in El Salvador, Frost accused former President Trump of violating due process by deporting Abrego Garcia, who is currently held in the nation’s controversial mega-prison, CECOT.
“We must hold the Administration accountable for these illegal acts and demand Kilmar’s release,” Frost posted from El Salvador. “Today it’s him, tomorrow it could be anyone else.”
Critics, however, see Frost’s stance and resurfaced tweet as evidence of a broader disconnect between progressive activism and public expectation for professionalism from elected officials.