MAGA Allies Spread Edited Clips to Miscast Gavin Newsom as Racist — Transcript, Mayor Push Back

Supporters of former President Donald Trump and some right-wing influencers have circulated selectively edited video clips to suggest California Gov. Gavin Newsom insulted Black people while discussing his lifelong struggle with dyslexia. A full transcript of the exchange and social-media posts from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens show those claims are misleading and taken out of context.

In recent days, MAGA influencers and several Republican officeholders amplified excerpts from a conversation between Newsom and Mayor Dickens. The clips cut remarks out of sequence and removed surrounding context to create the false impression that Newsom was disparaging Black intelligence.

Some reposts came from accounts associated with the BlackMAGA movement and from tabloid-style platforms that target Black audiences — including sites such as WorldstarHipHop — which have previously been used to spread right-wing messaging to Black communities.

A full transcript of the event shows Newsom was not asked about Black people and did not mention Black people in his response. An Instagram post from Mayor Dickens also counters the online narrative, showing the audience was not an exclusively Black crowd and disputing the accusations.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to the media as he arrives to attend the 62nd Munich Security Conference on Feb. 13, 2026, in Munich.(Michaela Stache / AFP via Getty Images)

Andre Dickens: “We’ve gotten so used to loud, chest-pounding politics that when someone speaks about shortcomings, people try to twist it into something else. Let me be clear, though. This is Atlanta. We don’t need anyone to tell us when to be offended. And history has shown … when we are, you’ll know.”

Reacting to the viral posts on X, Newsom directly called out perceived hypocrisy. He wrote:

"You didn’t give a s––– about the President of the United States of America posting an ape video of President Obama or calling African nations s–––holes — but you’re going to call me racist for talking about my lifelong struggle with dyslexia? Spare me your fake f–––ing outrage, Sean."

Observers say the effort to recast Newsom’s remarks as racist appears intended to deflect criticism of President Trump’s own record and rhetoric toward Black Americans. Critics argue that weaponizing edited media in this way is a predictable tactic to blunt political fallout and shift anger away from Trump and his allies.

Why This Matters

Targeted disinformation — particularly when amplified on platforms and by influencers that reach specific communities — can reshape narratives ahead of elections and deepen mistrust. This episode illustrates how short, decontextualized clips are used to manufacture outrage and redirect voter sentiment.

Reporting note: This story first appeared on MS NOW and was originally published at ms.now.