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The California governor, a prominent Democratic figure, has disclosed that he will make a decision about whether to run for president in 2028 following the 2026 elections are over.

"Yeah, it would be dishonest otherwise," the governor remarked when pressed about giving serious thought to a White House bid following the 2026 elections. "It wouldn't be the truth. And I can't do that."

Newsom's current term as governor concludes in early 2027, and term limits prevent another run. But, he emphasized that any choice is a long way off.

"The future will decide," he added.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

He has emerged as a prominent critic of the Trump administration, using his online platforms and pushing a initiative that would expand Democratic congressional seats in following Republican redistricting efforts. This move has drawn criticism from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that the governor does not care about the state's residents in a Sunday appearance on a major news network. Duffy announced intentions to withhold government money from California and suggested eliminating the power to provide trucking licenses.

"I'm about to pull $160 million from the state," he stated, in the wake of a recently reported tragic collision in the state involving an unauthorized commercial driver that caused three deaths and casualties.

Newsom's office noted that the federal government had reauthorized the driver's employment repeatedly, which allowed him to receive a CDL under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had previously indicated he was holding back $40m from the state for failing to implement linguistic standards for CDL holders.

Strong Response from the Team

"One-time television figure, now transportation chief, fails to grasp national statutes," Newsom's office said in a last month's comment addressing Duffy's threats. "Meanwhile, in contrast to this person, we'll stick to the facts: The state's CDL holders had a fatal crash rate much lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the only state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than the state. Statistics are clear. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Future Prospects

A recent study revealed that a majority of the party and a significant portion of the electorate indicated that the governor should run for president in the next election cycle. In recent years, public support for the governor has risen to an mean of about one-third from previous levels, while his unfavorability has dropped from an mean of over 40% to 38.4%.

Earlier this year, Newsom remarked while on a trip several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his intentions for the next presidential election.

He mentioned his personal struggles, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the early childhood.

"The thought that a individual who scored 960 on the SAT, who continues to find reading challenging, who was always in the back of the classroom – that such a possibility is discussed is, in and of itself, extraordinary," he stated. "No one can say? I await who presents themselves in the next election and who answers the call. And that's the question for the voters."