A Fellow Dyslexic Comes to Newsom’s Defense
California Gov. Gavin Newsom during a press conference at San Lorenzo High School, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in San Lorenzo, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez)
An opinion column in The New York Times pushes back on President Trump’s recent remark that California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s dyslexia should disqualify him from seeking the presidency. Writer Molly Jong-Fast argues the opposite: the learning difference may actually provide certain advantages.
Jong-Fast speaks from personal experience, noting that she is also dyslexic. She writes that growing up and working in environments built around reading and writing forced her to develop alternative strategies for processing information. According to her, those challenges can strengthen creativity, sharpen problem-solving skills, and encourage people to approach information in unconventional ways.
She says she recognized some of those traits while watching Newsom debate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023. During the exchange, she writes, it appeared that Newsom was actively working through facts, data, and arguments he had organized mentally. Jong-Fast describes the process as unusual but potentially valuable, saying that people with dyslexia often spend significant time reflecting on how they absorb and interpret information.
President Trump characterized Newsom’s dyslexia as evidence of a “low IQ,” a claim Jong-Fast rejects. She clarifies that she is not arguing people with dyslexia are inherently more intelligent, but she says the condition often requires individuals to think differently and develop unique ways of navigating complex ideas.
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