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The California governor, a leading Democratic figure, has revealed that he intends to determine whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 following the 2026 elections are over.

"Yeah, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom commented when questioned about seriously considering a campaign for president following the 2026 ballots. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I can't do that."

The governor's tenure as California's leader wraps up in early 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. Yet, he cautioned that any choice is not imminent.

"The future will decide," he added.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

The California governor has emerged as a high-profile opponent of the former president's team, using his social media accounts and pushing a proposition that would boost the party's representation in Congress in response to Republican redistricting efforts. This strategy has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Controversy Over Funds

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom is indifferent about the state's residents in a Sunday segment on Fox News. The secretary revealed intentions to cut federal funds from California and threatened eliminating the power to provide commercial driver's licenses.

"I intend to cut $160 million from California," he declared, following a recent deadly accident in California involving an non-citizen semi truck driver that resulted in fatalities and casualties.

His administration noted that the federal government had reauthorized the individual's authorization on several occasions, which allowed him to receive a CDL under U.S. law.

Duffy had earlier stated he was withholding $40 million from the state for not enforcing linguistic standards for CDL holders.

Strong Response from the Administration

"Former D-list reality star, now transportation chief, continues to misunderstand national statutes," the governor's team retorted in a recent comment countering the funding warnings. "Meanwhile, as opposed to this individual, we rely on data: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a death rate nearly 40% lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Data speaks for itself. The federal leadership misleads."

Polling Data and Campaign Considerations

A recently conducted study showed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters indicated that Newsom ought to campaign for the White House in the next election cycle. After the current administration began, his approval ratings has risen to an average of 33.5% from around 30%, while his negative ratings has dropped from an mean of previous highs to under 40%.

Earlier this year, Newsom stated while on a trip several key regions that he had "no idea" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He also referenced his past difficulties, including being found to have a learning disability at the young age of five.

"The notion that a person who scored 960 on the SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was always in the back of the classroom – the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, amazing," he stated. "It's anyone's guess? I await who steps forward in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that is the issue for the voters."