President Trump Claims Learning Disabilities Disqualify Candidates from Office While Mocking Gavin Newsom’s Dyslexia

President Trump mocks Gavin Newsom’s dyslexia, claiming learning disabilities should disqualify candidates. Read the reaction from health experts and the Governor.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 6:51 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PA Media

Oval Office Taunts Target Governor’s Cognitive Ability

The long-standing political rivalry between President Donald Trump and Governor Gavin Newsom has escalated into a highly personal confrontation over cognitive health and eligibility for office. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, the President renewed his use of the nickname "Newscum" while explicitly stating that a president should not have learning disabilities. Trump characterized the California Governor as "dumb" and a "cognitive mess," citing Newsom’s own public admissions regarding his lifelong struggle with dyslexia. According to Sareen Habeshian, these remarks represent an unconventional expansion of Trump’s "America First" vetting criteria, suggesting that neurological differences are a disqualifying factor for the nation's highest executive role.

Newsom Counterattacks Amidst Davos Event Cancellation

Governor Newsom, a frequent critic of the administration and a potential 2028 Democratic contender, responded to the President’s taunts with a series of sharp rebukes on social media. After Trump accidentally referred to him as the "President of the United States" during his remarks, Newsom mocked the slip by posting a call for "free elections" on X. The Governor had previously described Trump as a "brain-dead moron" in response to earlier mockery of his reading and spelling abilities. This public vitriol follows reports that the White House successfully blocked Newsom from hosting a high-profile event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, further straining the relationship between Sacramento and Washington DC.

Advocacy Groups Defend Intelligence of Dyslexic Americans

The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has issued a formal condemnation of the President’s statements, labeling them as "disturbed" and factually inaccurate. Jackie Rodriguez, the center’s chief executive, informed the BBC that dyslexia is a processing condition that does not impair a person’s intelligence, judgment, or leadership capabilities. Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services indicates that between 15% and 20% of the American population—nearly 66 million people—are affected by dyslexia. Rodriguez emphasized that many of the country’s most successful figures have overcome such challenges, noting that the condition has never been a barrier to rising to the upper echelons of pu...