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The California governor, a leading Democratic figure, has revealed that he plans to determine whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 once the 2026 elections wrap up.

"Yes, I would be lying if I said no," the governor commented when questioned about seriously considering a presidential run following the 2026 midterms. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I can't do that."

Newsom's tenure as California's leader wraps up in early 2027, and he cannot run again. Yet, he cautioned that any choice is not imminent.

"The future will decide," he added.

Growing Prominence as a Trump Critic

The California governor has emerged as a high-profile adversary of the Trump administration, using his digital presence and advocating for a initiative that would increase Democratic congressional seats in following GOP gerrymandering. This move has made him a target from adversaries.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, alleged that Newsom is indifferent about Californians in a weekend segment on Fox News. The secretary revealed a strategy to pull taxpayer dollars from California and suggested revoking the power to issue CDLs.

"I intend to cut $160 million from the state," he stated, following a recent deadly accident in the state involving an undocumented commercial driver that led to fatalities and casualties.

His administration pointed out that the U.S. government had renewed the worker's status multiple times, which enabled him to secure a commercial driver's license under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had previously announced he was holding back $40m from the state for not enforcing language proficiency rules for commercial drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Team

"Former D-list reality star, now cabinet member, still doesn't understand national statutes," Newsom's office responded in a previous release addressing the secretary's comments. "Meanwhile, in contrast to this person, we focus on reality: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate much lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the only state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Statistics are clear. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Campaign Considerations

A recently conducted study revealed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters believed that the governor should run for the White House in the next election cycle. Since Trump took office, his approval ratings has risen to an mean of 33.5% from previous levels, while his disapproval has decreased from an average of more than 40% to 38.4%.

Some time ago, the governor stated while traveling several battleground states that he had "uncertainty" about his future for 2028.

He noted his earlier challenges, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the early childhood.

"The thought that a person who had modest test scores, who continues to find reading challenging, who was typically not at the front – the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, remarkable," he said. "No one can say? I am eager to see who presents themselves in the next election and who meets that moment. And that remains the key point for the voters."