Newsom's Scathing 'Too Late' Retort to Trump's Mental Health Attacks
California Governor Gavin Newsom has delivered a blistering two-word response after former President Donald Trump publicly questioned his mental health and cognitive capabilities during a political rally in Kentucky. The exchange marks another escalation in the ongoing feud between the Democratic governor and the Republican former president.
Trump's Kentucky Rally Attacks
During a Wednesday visit to Hebron, Kentucky, where Trump was promoting a primary challenger to Representative Thomas Massie, the former president turned his attention to his political rival on the Democratic side. "He admitted he has mental problems, that he's not a smart person...that he is unable to read a speech," Trump told supporters about Newsom.
The former president added, "I don't want the president of the United States to have a cognitive deficiency," before claiming that he himself is "real smart." Trump's comments came during a broader political appearance where he criticized Massie for breaking with the Republican party on several key issues.
Newsom's Immediate Response
Newsom fired back swiftly on social media platform X, posting simply: "Too late." The governor's two-word retort appeared to imply that Trump himself already suffers from cognitive deficiencies. Newsom's press office amplified the message, writing: "Grandpa's talking about himself again. We wish him well — it's never too late to seek mental treatment."
The California governor, widely considered a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, has increasingly positioned himself as a vocal critic of Trump in recent months. His social media response represents his latest effort to troll the former president publicly.
Dyslexia Discussion Becomes Political Fodder
Trump later expanded his criticism on Truth Social, referencing an interview Newsom gave several weeks earlier about his lifelong struggle with dyslexia. The learning disability primarily affects reading and writing skills, but Newsom has described it as a "gift" that forced him to develop other skills and cultivate empathy.
"In one fell swoop, he took himself out of even being considered as the Presidential Nominee of the Crazy...Democrats," Trump wrote. "He said, in a speech, he was dumb, had low Boards, can't read, has dyslexia, and has a mental disorder — A Cognitive Mess!"
Trump added, "While we all want to be politically correct, having a mental disorder is not a positive campaign event. Also, this was a politically suicidal act."
Newsom's Broader Counterattack
Newsom responded to Trump's Truth Social post with broader political criticism, referencing both international military actions and domestic controversies. "I spoke about my dyslexia. I know that's hard for a brain-dead moron who bombs children and protects pedophiles to understand," the governor wrote on X.
This comment appeared to reference a preliminary Pentagon report finding the U.S. responsible for unintentionally bombing a girls' school in Minab, Iran, on February 28, reportedly killing approximately 175 people, most of them children. Newsom also alluded to the Trump administration's handling of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Broader Political Context
The exchange occurs against a backdrop where mental fitness has become a significant political issue. During the 2024 election cycle, both Trump (then 78) and former President Joe Biden (then 81) faced questions about their cognitive abilities. Biden eventually dropped out after a poor debate performance and was replaced by former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Trump.
The current controversy also intersects with Representative Massie's efforts to compel the Justice Department to release Epstein files, a move that has drawn Trump's ire. As the 2028 presidential election cycle begins to take shape, exchanges like this between Newsom and Trump suggest mental health and cognitive ability will remain prominent political battlegrounds.
