President Trump criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom at an event in northern Kentucky, stating the governor “admitted he has mental problems, that he’s not a smart person.” Trump’s remarks referenced Newsom’s memoir “Young Man in a Hurry,” in which Newsom disclosed his struggle with dyslexia, a common learning disability. Trump stated: “He’s unable to read a speech, he can’t read, and all of the other things he said. He said he has a lot of mental problems,” and added, “I don’t want the President of the United States to have a cognitive deficiency.”
Newsom, who was diagnosed with dyslexia in 1972 at approximately 5 years old, had recently brought the disorder into public discussion while promoting his new memoir at an event in Atlanta. He responded to Trump’s remarks via his press office X account, posting: “Grandpa’s talking about himself again. We wish him well — it’s never too late to seek mental treatment.”
Policy and Regional Tensions
During a separate news conference to announce new funding for mental health and drug treatment related to homelessness, Newsom addressed concerns about drone threats in the Middle East conflict. He stated: “Drone issues have been top of mind. We’ve been aware of that information, we’ve been working collaboratively with the [State Operations Center].” He expressed concern about the ongoing war, noting: “I haven’t talked to the president directly about this and I wish the president would talk to the American people about what this is all about, what’s the end game?” He added: “We’ve seen no real end game in sight when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz.” Newsom noted that California has been working with international partners to assess oil shortage threats and is preparing for “worst-case scenarios” regarding rising oil costs.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/us-news/gavin-newsom-ripped-by-trump-as-unfit-for-white-house-due-to-mental-problems/