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The California governor, a prominent member of the Democratic party, has disclosed that he plans to decide on whether to seek the White House in 2028 once the 2026 elections wrap up.

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

Newsom's time in office as governor wraps up in the start of 2027, and term limits prevent another run. However, he noted that any determination is a long way off.

"The future will decide," he added.

Growing Prominence as a Trump Critic

He has emerged as a high-profile adversary of the current federal leadership, leveraging his social media accounts and pushing a initiative that would increase the party's House seats in as a counter to Republican redistricting efforts. This action has made him a target from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

The former president's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that Newsom shows no concern about Californians in a weekend appearance on a major news network. The secretary announced a strategy to pull taxpayer dollars from the state and warned eliminating the state's ability to provide CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from the state," Duffy declared, following a recent tragic collision in the state involving an non-citizen commercial driver that caused loss of life and four injuries.

Newsom's office noted that the national authorities had reauthorized the driver's employment multiple times, which permitted him to receive a CDL under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had previously indicated he was holding back $40 million from California for not enforcing language proficiency rules for commercial drivers.

Strong Response from the Administration

"Ex-reality TV personality, now Secretary of Transportation, fails to grasp federal law," Newsom's office responded in a previous release addressing the secretary's comments. "For now, as opposed to this individual, we'll stick to the facts: The state's truck drivers had a death rate significantly lower than the countrywide rate. Texas – the single state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Data speaks for itself. This administration is dishonest."

Public Opinion and Future Prospects

A recently conducted poll showed that a majority of the party and a significant portion of the electorate believed that the governor must consider running for the White House in 2028. After the current administration began, public support for the governor has increased to an typical level of 33.5% from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an typical level of over 40% to current figures.

Earlier this year, Newsom remarked while visiting several swing states that he had "no clue" about his future 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 typically not at the front – the fact that this is even suggested is, alone, extraordinary," he commented. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who steps forward in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that is the issue for the American people."