“Brain-dead moron,” Newsom unloads on Trump after dyslexia jab
California Gov. Gavin Newsom escalated his long-running feud with President Donald Trump on Wednesday night, posting on X: “I spoke about my dyslexia. I know that’s hard for a brain-dead moron who bombs children and protects pedophiles to understand.” The post came in response to Trump mocking Newsom’s dyslexia and suggesting it made him unfit for higher office.
I spoke about my dyslexia.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 12, 2026
I know that’s hard for a brain-dead moron who bombs children and protects pedophiles to understand. pic.twitter.com/qFjsQeSJ1z
The clash started after Trump attacked Newsom over remarks the governor made in a recent interview about living with dyslexia. In that interview, Newsom said he can read but struggles to read speeches spatially, explaining that he often has to print material, underline it, and rewrite notes by hand. Trump later described Newsom as a “cognitive mess,” mischaracterized his comments, and argued the California governor had damaged any future presidential prospects.
Newsom’s response appears to tie Trump to two politically explosive issues that have been dominating Washington. The “bombs children” line lines up with growing scrutiny over U.S. strikes in Iran after Reuters reported that nearly every Senate Democrat signed a letter demanding a swift investigation into an airstrike on a girls’ school in Iran that killed scores of children. Reuters said U.S. military investigators believe it is likely U.S. forces were responsible for the Feb. 28 strike.
The second part of Newsom’s post — “protects pedophiles” — appears to reference the Jeffrey Epstein files fight, where critics of the Justice Department have accused the government of shielding powerful people from scrutiny. Reuters reported last year that Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, accused the DOJ of “protecting pedophiles and sex traffickers” during the push to force release of Epstein-related records. Reuters also reported that Trump opposed that effort before later backing off. There is no court finding that Trump personally “protected pedophiles”; in context, Newsom’s line reads as a political accusation tied to that broader controversy.
The exchange also lands at a moment when Newsom has become one of Trump’s most aggressive Democratic antagonists. Reuters previously reported that Newsom said he is considering a 2028 presidential run and has raised his national profile by confronting Trump on multiple issues. That has turned every public clash between the two into a proxy fight over the future of both parties.
The backdrop is getting more combustible by the day. Reuters reported that U.S. gas prices have surged above $3.50 a gallon, up nearly 60 cents in just 11 days, as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran rattles energy markets and disrupts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. That has given Democrats, including Newsom, another opening to hammer Trump over the widening costs of the conflict at home.
