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The California governor, a leading member of the Democratic party, has disclosed that he plans to make a decision about whether to launch a presidential campaign in 2028 following the 2026 elections conclude.

"Yeah, I couldn't be truthful if I denied it," Newsom remarked when asked about seriously considering a presidential run following the 2026 elections. "I'd just be lying. And I'm not."

Newsom's time in office as California's leader ends in the start of 2027, and he cannot run again. Yet, he cautioned that any choice is not imminent.

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

Increased Visibility as a Administration Opponent

The California governor has stepped forward as a high-profile opponent of the current federal leadership, using his social media accounts and advocating for a ballot measure that would expand Democratic congressional seats in following redistricting by Republicans. This strategy has invited attacks from political opponents.

Federal Funding Dispute

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, accused that the governor is indifferent about Californians in a weekend segment on Fox News. The secretary announced plans to withhold federal funds from California and warned suspending the power to grant commercial driver's licenses.

"I plan to withdraw $160m from California," Duffy said, after a recently reported deadly accident in California involving an undocumented trucker that caused three deaths and four injuries.

His administration noted that the federal government had approved the individual's authorization multiple times, which permitted him to receive a trucking license under U.S. law.

Duffy had before announced he was withholding $40 million from the state for failing to implement English language requirements for truck drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Governor's Office

"One-time television figure, now cabinet member, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," the governor's team said in a last month's release responding to the funding warnings. "For now, as opposed to this individual, we focus on reality: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate significantly lower than the national average. The state of Texas – the sole state with additional licensed drivers – has a rate markedly elevated than California. Facts don't lie. The federal leadership misleads."

Voter Sentiment and Political Future

A recently conducted survey found that 72% of Democrats and 48% of all registered voters said that Newsom should run for the White House in 2028. Since Trump took office, public support for the governor has increased to an typical level of about one-third from approximately 30%, while his disapproval has dropped from an average of more than 40% to current figures.

In previous months, Newsom stated while traveling several key regions that he had "no clue" about his future for 2028.

He mentioned his earlier challenges, including being found to have a learning disability at the young age of five.

"The idea that a guy who had modest test scores, who continues to find reading challenging, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, alone, extraordinary," he said. "Who the hell knows? I'm looking forward to who emerges in the next election and who rises to the occasion. And that is the issue for the U.S. citizens."