Donald Trump’s swipe at Newsom’s dyslexia attacks all who learn differently | Opinion

The president is supposed to set a moral compass for our nation, particularly in moments of crisis or division. This is perhaps the most important aspect of the job that President Trump has never understood. His recent comments about California Governor Gavin Newsom’s dyslexia make that painfully clear.

“We have a low-IQ person,” Trump said, referring to Newsom. “Honestly, I am all for people with learning disabilities, but not for my president. I don’t think a president should have a learning disability. Everything about him is dumb.”

Trump’s remarks are both cruel and ignorant of the millions of Americans living—and thriving—with learning differences. Dyslexia, which affects reading but not intelligence, is experienced by roughly 20% of people, according to the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity..”It is most commonly due to a difficulty in phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language),” Yale researchers wrote.

History is filled with successful dyslexic leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, and, yes, politicians. As children, people with dyslexia learn to navigate their condition.

Kids with learning disabilities are watching this unfold

When I was 7, I struggled with reading and speaking, though not officially diagnosed with dyslexia.

“Where did you get the apple?” may seem simple, but to my second-grade self, it was like deciphering a code.

“Wheredigyegetthuapple,” I blurted. That sentence is what sent me to speech class every afternoon. When all the other kids went back to the classroom, I lined up with a few others to head to speech class.

It made me feel different, all because I talked differently.

We read aloud, our teacher gently correcting our pronunciation. I read more slowly, hoping it would help, but I still stumbled over words.

But as the years went on, I kept reading — mostly comic books — and learned how to pronounce even the long words. I could read quickly and eloquently, because I never gave up on myself and had a support system that believed my learning disability would never keep me from greatness.

What would’ve happened, I wonder, if I’d gone home and seen a president call someone like me dumb on national television?

Trump is sowing ignorance in our country

Whether it’s a stutter, dyslexia, or a speech impediment, none disqualify a person from being president or leading a successful life. Trump and Newsom may be political rivals, but to say dyslexia is disqualifying goes beyond politics—it sets a damaging standard for the country.

To conflate dyslexia with intelligence, let alone “unfitness” for office, is not just inaccurate—it perpetuates a harmful stigma. Trump’s comments not only belittle Newsom, but send a message to every American with a learning disability: that their challenges make them less worthy of respect and leadership. That’s more than an ugly campaign tactic; it’s a direct attack on inclusion and equality.

Newsom has spoken openly about his dyslexia, describing how he overcame early struggles with reading and turned what some saw as weakness into resilience. In doing so, he’s become a role model, showing that learning differences are no barrier to achievement.

Trump’s willingness to weaponize a disability for political gain speaks volumes about the state of our discourse—and the erosion of the values we want in a leader. Do we want a president who sees diversity as a strength, or one who uses it as a punchline? The answer matters, not just for Newsom, but for every American ever told they are “less than.”

Leadership isn’t defined by perfection, but by empathy, determination, and the ability to inspire. Trump has chosen a style that serves a select few and disguises hatred as free speech.

But the American people have a choice. It’s up to us—now and in the future—to uplift those with learning disabilities and make sure they know they can do anything, even be president.