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The California governor, a well-known member of the Democratic party, has revealed that he intends to make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 after the 2026 congressional elections are over.

"Yeah, I couldn't be truthful if I said no," Newsom stated when asked about giving serious thought to a presidential run after the 2026 midterms. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

Newsom's current term as California's leader wraps up in January 2027, and term limits prevent another run. However, he cautioned that any decision is a long way off.

"The future will decide," he said.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

He has stepped forward as a high-profile adversary of the current federal leadership, using his digital presence and pushing a proposition that would increase Democratic House seats in response to GOP gerrymandering. This strategy has made him a target from political opponents.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom is indifferent about the state's residents in a Sunday appearance on Fox News. The secretary disclosed intentions to withhold government money from the state and warned revoking the state's ability to issue commercial driver's licenses.

"I'm about to pull a significant sum from the state," Duffy stated, following a recently reported deadly accident in California involving an unauthorized commercial driver that caused fatalities and injured individuals.

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

Duffy had before announced he was blocking $40 million from the state for failing to implement linguistic standards for commercial drivers.

Pointed Reply from the Administration

"Ex-reality TV personality, now cabinet member, fails to grasp national statutes," Newsom's office retorted in a previous statement countering the funding warnings. "For now, as opposed to this individual, we rely on data: The state's commercial driver's license holders had a accident mortality rate much lower than the U.S. average. The state of Texas – the sole state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate substantially higher than California. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Future Prospects

A recently conducted study showed that 72% of Democrats and a significant portion of the electorate indicated that the governor must consider running for president in 2028. Since Trump took office, his approval ratings has risen to an average of 33.5% from around 30%, while his negative ratings has dropped from an typical level of previous highs to 38.4%.

Earlier this year, Newsom stated while visiting several key regions that he had "no idea" about his plans for 2028.

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

"The notion that a guy who scored 960 on the SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was often seated at the back – the fact that this is even suggested is, alone, remarkable," he stated. "No one can say? I'm looking forward to who emerges in the next election and who meets that moment. And that is the issue for the U.S. citizens."