Governor of California Gavin Newsom is an intelligent, articulate, and accomplished man. It comes as little surprise that he is a frontrunner to become the Democratic Party’s nominated candidate for the presidency in 2028.

Newsom has said on a number of occasions that he has the learning disability dyslexia and that throughout his life, he has had to find ways not to allow it to severely inhibit him.

Speaking to an audience in Atlanta, Newsom told an interviewer, “I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you I’m like you. I’m no better than you. You know I’m a 960 SAT guy. You’ve never seen me read a speech, because I cannot read a speech.”

That was forthright, but there were those who chose to spin this as a racist jab because there were black people in the audience. Totally and utterly ridiculous!

Yesterday (March 27), Republican President Donald Trump seized upon this to diminish Newsom. As president of the United States, Trump is never empathetic with those who are afflicted. He sees this as a weakness, and those people are discounted. That’s not how life is, and those who are in positions to help should do so. It is an invaluable trait of leadership. Sometimes sympathy and understanding is required. 

“I think a president should not have learning disabilities. I know it’s highly controversial to say. Gavin Newsom admitted he has a learning disability, dyslexia. Everything about him is dumb.

“I don’t want a stupid person being my president. Gavin Newsom, who is one of the Democratic presidential candidates, I believe, took himself out of the running when he says he suffers from mental disability. A reporter said it was terrible that I talk (sic) that way about someone with mental disability. You can’t have a person with mental disabilities as president. Gavin Newsom said he can’t read a speech and that he’s as dumb as all the people in the room, and he got accused of being a racist. I thought it was the worst interview I have ever seen. He’s actually a very stupid person. I believe he’s out of the running. He admitted he’s a stupid person.”

Trump has to be careful here because there are many people who have to deal with dyslexia, autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD and other forms of learning disabilities. Parents will hear what the President had to say on the matter and conclude that you are saying my child or children are dumb and should never aspire or reach for the highest public office.

It will strike a sour note with both Democrats and Republicans. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, about 15 per cent of the population has some form of dyslexia. Parents who have children with learning disabilities impress upon them that they process differently and that they are not dumb and can reach for their dreams. Trump’s position here will upset many people.

Jackie Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, said: “Dyslexia does not impair a person’s intelligence, judgement or ability to lead. In fact, people with learning disabilities have risen to the upper echelon of every public office in the United States, including former Presidents.

On another occasion, Trump again slammed the prospect of a future president with dyslexia, saying, “I don’t want the president of the United States to have a cognitive deficiency. When it comes to being the president you have got to be sharp. Newsom admitted he had learning disabilities and somebody said well what’s wrong with that. I said ‘That’s okay, but not for my president‘.” 

Some of the great achievers and those who have shaped the modern world had dyslexia or are neurodivergent in some way: Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Charles Schwab, Richard Branson, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Tommy Hilfiger. Even Trump’s great friend Elon Musk, whom he brought in to run a government department, has admitted to having Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism.

On the subject, Musk said: “Look, I know I say or post strange things, but that’s just how my brain works. To anyone I have offended, I just want to say I reinvented electric cars (Tesla), I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship (SpaceX ). Did you think I was going to be a chill, normal dude?

The true greats think differently. They see the world differently. They reveal possibilities. They are extraordinary. They are certainly not dumb, quite the contrary. The challenge is bringing out the superpowers and gifts in those who are neurodivergent.

Trump fails to see this and has placed a dunce cap on such people’s heads. Dismissed them as “losers” with no meaningful place in the world. 

Try telling your child, relative, friend or colleague that in a world where people are increasingly diagnosed with learning disabilities. 

Governor Newsom was spot on, and his words should be heeded when he said: “To every kid with a learning disability: Don’t let anyone-not even the president of the United States-bully you.

“Dyslexia isn’t a weakness. It’s your strength.”

Trump may have identified Newsom as a serious challenge to Republicans in 2028 and wants to stop him ascending and gaining favourability with voters. He is a favourite and has been asked many times if he will be entering the race. He has held his cards close to his chest thus far. Some commentators have said he would come out ahead of other possible contenders like Harris, Shapiro, Moore and AOC. 

By marking Newsom as mentally unfit for the highest office in the land, Trump is leveraging his favourability to eradicate Newsom.

The governor of California asked, “ Why does he keep bringing this up? Only one answer: Donald Trump is definitely dyslexic!”