President Donald Trump claimed Monday night that Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom had “dropped out” of the 2028 presidential race, posting on Truth Social: “Wow! Gavin Newscum just dropped out of the Presidential Race!!! President DJT.”
Newsom has not officially even declared a presidential run.
The unsubstantiated post came as Trump’s MAGA supporters and other conservatives were attacking Newsom over remarks he made during a book tour stop in Atlanta over the weekend.
Newsweek reached out Newsom’s office via email on Monday for comment.
The Context
Speaking at the Rialto Center for the Arts in conversation with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens on Saturday, Newsom spoke candidly about living with dyslexia. “You’ve never seen me read a speech, because I cannot read a speech,” the governor said. “I haven’t overcome dyslexia. I’m living with it.”
Newsom is widely considered a front-runner for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, and his book tour for his memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, is making stops in key primary states as he continues building a national profile. Trump’s social media post, while unsubstantiated, signals that the president and his allies are actively working to undercut Newsom’s political ambitions.
A new Echelon Insights poll released Monday shows Newsom leading potential 2028 Democratic candidates at 24 percent, ahead of former Vice President Kamala Harris at 18 percent and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 9 percent.
When respondents were asked to choose directly between Harris and Newsom, the race was essentially even—44 percent favored Harris and 45 percent chose Newsom.
What To Know
The conservative backlash stems from a 38-second clip shared on X by the End Wokeness account, which framed Newsom’s remarks as being directed at a Black crowd.
However, a longer video circulating on social media showed a diverse audience with a significant number of white guests. Newsom’s full remarks were made in the context of discussing resilience in the face of his learning disability.
“I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, I’m like you. I’m no better than you,” Newsom said. “I’m a 960 SAT guy.” He described his memoir as “a story about resilience, redemption … humility and grace.” Newsom later responded to the controversy on X by posting a longer clip from the event, writing: “My mom didn’t want my dyslexia to hold me back. I wrote a book about the impact she, and others, had on my life.”
Monday’s Truth Social post is not the first time Trump has taken aim at the California governor. In August, Trump posted to Truth Social that Newsom is “viewed as the man who is destroying the once Great State of California,” adding, “I will save California!!!” The attack came after days of online trolling by Newsom and his office, who have made a habit of mocking Trump and his MAGA allies on social media—a strategy that has generated significant attention and engagement for the governor as he positions himself as a leading voice in Democratic opposition to the Trump administration.
The latest controversy arrives as Newsom is also fielding questions about a potential 2028 White House bid. In a CNN interview that aired Sunday, he addressed the possibility of running against Harris, another longtime California political figure. “I’ve never gotten in the way of her ambition, ever,” he told host Dana Bash. “And I don’t imagine I would in the future.” When pressed further, Newsom deferred to fate. “You can only control what you can control,” he said.
Newsom added that his family remains a significant factor in any decision, sharing that one of his sons recently texted him, expressing concern. “He goes, ‘I’m too young. You need to spend more time with us,'” the governor recounted. “How do you deal with that one?”
What People Are Saying
Trump, on Truth Social earlier this month, following Newsom’s speech in Munich: “Gavin Newscum, as a ‘Lame Duck’ Governor of a Failing State, should not be at Davos running around screaming for the attention of Foreign Leaders and embarrassing our Country. He made a mockery of himself, and everybody, including his staff, knows it.”
Newsom, responding to Trump’s post on X: “Rent free. The only way to address Trump is to fight fire with fire. He’s consolidating power in real time. We must punch back.”
Newsom, discussing his 2028 plans with The Wall Street Journal last year: “I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path that I could see unfold.”
What Happens Next
Minutes after Trump’s Truth Social post, Newsom fired back on X, quote-tweeting Trump’s claim by pointing readers to the governor’s memoir: “It’s on page 69 of my new book. Buy it here: Youngmaninahurrybook.com.”
