I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong in simplifying a subject and allowing that simplified answer to be the one the public knows

I think it's acceptable to simply say that magnets of the same polarity repel each other, and not going to the explanation as to why. It's up to people if they want to understand that, and they can seek that information out themselves.

Also I think it's perfectly acceptable to explain gravity as a force that pulls things down. Trying to go into the whole area of space time and light cones is unnecessary for the casual explanation.

I would not think any less of a political leader if their understanding of magnets was simply the basic one that everybody else knows. But I absolutely would think less of my leader if he appeared not to even have a high school level understanding of magnetism. It would make me worry about what other things everybody else knows, that apparently he does not.