Overview
- Speaking in Kentucky, President Trump mocked Gov. Gavin Newsom’s dyslexia, saying the governor “can’t read” and is unfit for the presidency.
- Trump followed with a Truth Social post labeling Newsom “obviously a racist” and calling the Atlanta interview “the most self destructive” and “a politically suicidal act.”
- Newsom replied on X with “Too late,” while his press office taunted, “Grandpa’s talking about himself again,” and the governor later called Trump a “brain-dead moron who bombs children and protects pedophiles.”
- Context reporting and longer footage showed a racially mixed Atlanta audience, and Mayor Andre Dickens said the remarks reflected Newsom’s struggles with dyslexia rather than condescension.
- Critics condemned Trump’s comments as ableist and noted that dyslexia is a common learning disability, not a mental disorder, as the exchange feeds broader talk of Newsom’s national standing and 2028 prospects.