Tommy Pham criticizes California Governor Newsom for his comments on SAT scores

MLB free agent Tommy Pham recently responded to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s comments about SAT scores during an event in Georgia. In an Instagram Story, Pham shared a clip where Newsom stated, “I’m just like you, a 960 on the SAT. I can’t read.”

Pham accused Newsom of harboring negative perceptions about Black people, questioning, “I don’t think he thinks I’m Black when I’m a straight-A student and got a good SAT score. [people] Stupid,” he said.

Newsom’s remarks sparked significant backlash online, with many interpreting them as racially charged. During his conversation with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Newsom insisted, “I’m not trying to impress you. I’m just trying to impress upon you, ‘I’m just like you. I’m not better than you.’” He was referencing his own SAT score of 960.

In a separate post, Pham shared a clip of Newsom discussing his reading speed on a podcast. He claimed to have finished the 230-page book “Fight” in just two and a half hours. This statement drew attention in light of his earlier comments about his SAT performance.

In defense of his statements, Newsom later clarified that he was speaking about his dyslexia. His spokesperson, Izzy Gurdon, remarked to Fox News Digital that what the governor said was misconstrued. “This is a MAGA-orchestrated outrage,” Gurdon added, noting that Newsom has mentioned his learning disability publicly before.

Despite the criticism, many on social media defended Newsom, highlighting his struggles with dyslexia. Mayor Dickens remarked that Newsom’s comments were not meant as an attack but rather a candid expression of his own experiences.

However, some critics maintained that it was more than just dyslexia at play, suggesting that Newsom’s comments reflect deeper biases about the intelligence of Black Americans.