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The California governor, a well-known Democratic figure, has disclosed that he intends to determine whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 elections conclude.

"Yes, I would be lying otherwise," Newsom stated when pressed about giving serious thought to a White House bid after the 2026 midterms. "That wouldn't be honest. And I won't do that."

Newsom's tenure as governor ends in the start of 2027, and he cannot run again. But, he noted that any choice is still years away.

"It's up to destiny," he added.

Growing Prominence as a Administration Opponent

Newsom has stepped forward as a high-profile opponent of the former president's team, leveraging his social media accounts and pushing a initiative that would expand Democratic congressional seats in following GOP gerrymandering. This move has invited attacks from political opponents.

Clash on Transportation

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom does not care about Californians in a Sunday appearance on a major news network. The secretary announced a strategy to pull federal funds from California and suggested revoking the state's ability to grant CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw $160m from California," Duffy said, after a recently reported deadly accident in California involving an non-citizen commercial driver that led to loss of life and casualties.

Newsom's office noted that the U.S. government had reauthorized the worker's status repeatedly, which permitted him to secure a CDL under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had previously stated he was withholding $40m from California for failing to implement English language requirements for commercial drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Governor's Office

"Ex-reality TV personality, now cabinet member, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," his administration retorted in a recent statement addressing the secretary's comments. "In the meantime, unlike this clown, we focus on reality: California commercial driver's license holders had a accident mortality rate much lower than the U.S. average. Texas – the single state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate almost 50% higher than California. Facts don't lie. The federal leadership misleads."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A recent study found that a majority of the party and 48% of all registered voters said that Newsom must consider running for president in the next election cycle. Since Trump took office, Newsom's favorability has grown to an mean of about one-third from previous levels, while his unfavorability has dropped from an average of over 40% to 38.4%.

Some time ago, Newsom commented while on a trip several key regions that he had "uncertainty" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He also referenced his personal struggles, including being identified as dyslexic at the young age of five.

"The idea that a guy who had modest test scores, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was always in the back of the classroom – that such a possibility is discussed is, alone, amazing," he said. "It's anyone's guess? I await who presents themselves in 2028 and who rises to the occasion. And that is the issue for the voters."