🔗 Share this article

The California governor, a prominent Democratic figure, has indicated that he intends to determine whether to seek the White House in 2028 after the 2026 congressional elections conclude.

"Yes, I couldn't be truthful otherwise," Newsom stated when questioned about contemplating a White House bid after the 2026 elections. "I'd just be lying. And I won't do that."

The governor's time in office as governor concludes in early 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. However, he noted that any choice is still years away.

"The future will decide," he remarked.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

He has stepped forward as a notable adversary of the former president's team, employing his social media accounts and advocating for a ballot measure that would expand Democratic representation in Congress in as a counter to GOP gerrymandering. This move has made him a target from critics.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom does not care about the state's residents in a weekend segment on a major news network. The secretary announced plans to cut federal funds from California and threatened eliminating the state's ability to issue commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut $160 million from California," he stated, after a recently reported deadly accident in the state involving an non-citizen trucker that caused loss of life and injured individuals.

Newsom's office pointed out that the U.S. government had reauthorized the individual's authorization on several occasions, which permitted him to obtain a trucking license under federal law.

Duffy had previously announced he was holding back $40m from California for ignoring English language requirements for truck drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"Ex-reality TV personality, now cabinet member, continues to misunderstand U.S. regulations," the governor's team said in a previous statement countering Duffy's threats. "In the meantime, in contrast to this person, we rely on data: The state's CDL holders had a death rate much lower than the national average. The state of Texas – the single state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Polling Data and Future Prospects

A this month's poll revealed that 72% of Democrats and almost half of voters indicated that Newsom ought to campaign for the White House in the next election cycle. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has risen to an mean of 33.5% from around 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an average of previous highs to current figures.

Earlier this year, Newsom commented while visiting several key regions that he had "uncertainty" about his future for the next presidential election.

He noted his personal struggles, including being found to have a learning disability at the young age of five.

"The notion that a person who had modest test scores, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, by itself, extraordinary," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I await who emerges in the next election and who meets that moment. And that is the issue for the U.S. citizens."