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The California governor, a well-known Democratic figure, has disclosed that he will determine whether to run for president in 2028 after the 2026 elections wrap up.

"Absolutely, I couldn't be truthful otherwise," Newsom commented when questioned about giving serious thought to a White House bid after the 2026 elections. "That wouldn't be honest. And I'm not."

Newsom's time in office as California's leader wraps up in early 2027, and he is ineligible for re-election. But, he noted that any decision is not imminent.

"It's up to destiny," he added.

Growing Prominence as a Trump Critic

Newsom has stepped forward as a prominent critic of the Trump administration, employing his social media accounts and championing a initiative that would boost the party's representation in Congress in response to redistricting by Republicans. This strategy has drawn criticism from adversaries.

Controversy Over Funds

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, accused that the governor is indifferent about the state's residents in a recent appearance on a major news network. Duffy revealed intentions to pull taxpayer dollars from the state and suggested revoking the authority to issue trucking licenses.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from California," Duffy stated, after a recent tragic collision in the state involving an unauthorized semi truck driver that resulted in loss of life and casualties.

The governor's team highlighted that the U.S. government had renewed the worker's status on several occasions, which permitted him to secure a CDL under national regulations.

The transportation secretary had previously stated he was holding back additional funds from the state for not enforcing linguistic standards for CDL holders.

Pointed Reply from the Team

"Ex-reality TV personality, now Secretary of Transportation, continues to misunderstand federal law," his administration retorted in a last month's statement countering the funding warnings. "In the meantime, in contrast to this person, we'll stick to the facts: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate nearly 40% lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the single state with more commercial holders – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Facts don't lie. The federal leadership misleads."

Voter Sentiment and Political Future

A recently conducted study showed that a majority of the party and almost half of voters believed that the governor should run for the White House in 2028. In recent years, public support for the governor has grown to an average of 33.5% from previous levels, while his negative ratings has fallen from an average of more than 40% to 38.4%.

In previous months, the governor remarked while traveling several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his plans for 2028.

He also referenced his past difficulties, including being diagnosed with dyslexia at the young age of five.

"The thought that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, who still struggles to read scripts, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, by itself, remarkable," he commented. "No one can say? I am eager to see who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that is the issue for the U.S. citizens."