President Donald Trump ignited a firestorm on Truth Social Monday night by suggesting that California Governor Gavin Newsom has already abandoned his 2028 presidential ambitions. “Wow! Gavin Newscum just dropped out of the Presidential Race!!!” Trump wrote, mocking the governor’s “clumsy” performance during a recent book tour stop. The post immediately drew a vitriolic response from the governor’s press office, which accused the 47th president of “sundowning harder than usual tonight.”
The verbal sparring comes as Newsom faces intense “blowback” for a viral clip from his Atlanta book tour event. During a discussion with Mayor Andre Dickens, Newsom attempted to bond with the predominantly Black audience by highlighting his “vulnerability” and low academic scores. “I’m like you. I’m not better than you,” Newsom declared. “I’m a 960 SAT guy.”
Conservatives were quick to label the move as “disgraceful” pandering, pointing out the “soft bigotry” of the governor’s comparison. According to 2024 College Board data, the average SAT score for Black students was 907, while white students averaged 1083. Critics argue that by citing a 960 score to appear “down” with Black voters, Newsom exposed a “moronic” and “racist” set of expectations for the community.
Newsom’s response to the criticism was characteristically aggressive, particularly in a heated exchange with Fox News host Sean Hannity. The governor dismissed the backlash as “fake f*cking outrage” and attempted to pivot to previous controversies involving the president. He claimed his comments were strictly about his “lifelong struggle with dyslexia” rather than a commentary on race.
While Mayor Dickens defended the governor’s “moment of vulnerability,” many pundits believe the “960 SAT” gaffe is a disqualifying look for a man with White House dreams. Newsom has been traveling the country promoting his memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry,” and has even praised Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders during stops in Nashville. He told Tennessee audiences that America’s economic system “fundamentally has to be reformed” and called for more “aggressive” executive actions.
As the 2028 primary looms, the “clown show” of Newsom’s national tour appears to be hitting a major roadblock. While he claims to be a “warrior for working families,” his recent rhetoric has only deepened the divide between his “woke” base and “common sense” Americans. For Trump, the “GCN” response only confirms that the governor is “agitated” by the president’s “biological truth” and growing momentum.