Donald Trump has said he believes people with learning disabilities should not be president, as he renewed his taunts at California Governor Gavin Newsom over his dyslexia.

President Trump said Newsom, a potential Democratic White House contender, was dumb. He also made fun last week of the California governor's difficulty with reading and spelling, prompting Newsom to call him a brain-dead moron.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities told the BBC it was disturbed by and strongly condemns the Republican president's remarks.

Dyslexia, a learning condition that disrupts how the brain processes written language, affects as many as one in five Americans.

With a low IQ person, you know, because Gavin Newscum has admitted that he is a, that he has learning disabilities, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. Newscum is Trump's nickname for the governor.

Honestly, I'm all for people with learning disabilities, but not for my president. I don't want, I think a president should not have learning disabilities, OK? And I know it's highly controversial to say such a horrible thing.

He added: The President of the United States, Gavin Newscum, admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia. Everything about him is dumb.

Newsom made fun of Trump for appearing to accidentally refer to the governor as president. NO THANK YOU, WE BELIEVE IN FREE ELECTIONS! he posted on X.

During an on-stage conversation last month with the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, Newsom discussed his dyslexia. I'm like you, the governor told the audience as he cited his poor exam results and difficulty reading.

Trump accused Newsom of racism and posted on Truth Social that he can't read, has dyslexia, and has a mental disorder - A Cognitive Mess!

The National Center for Learning Disabilities criticized Trump's comments on Monday, with their chief executive Jackie Rodriguez stating that dyslexia does not impair a person's intelligence or leadership abilities. Past U.S. presidents, including George Washington and John F. Kennedy, may have had dyslexia, she noted.

About 15% of the U.S. population is affected by dyslexia, with estimates as high as 20%.