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

"Absolutely, it would be dishonest otherwise," Newsom commented when pressed about seriously considering a presidential run post the 2026 ballots. "That wouldn't be honest. And I can't do that."

Newsom's current term as governor concludes in January 2027, and he cannot run again. But, he emphasized that any decision is still years away.

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

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

Newsom has come to the forefront as a notable opponent of the Trump administration, leveraging his social media accounts and advocating for a initiative that would increase Democratic House seats in response to GOP gerrymandering. This move has drawn criticism from adversaries.

Clash on Transportation

The former president's transportation chief, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom is indifferent about Californians in a recent appearance on a major news network. The secretary revealed a strategy to withhold government money from California and suggested suspending the state's ability to provide trucking licenses.

"I plan to withdraw $160m from the state," Duffy stated, in the wake of a recent tragic collision in the state involving an undocumented trucker that resulted in three deaths and four injuries.

The governor's team pointed out that the U.S. government had renewed the driver's employment multiple times, which allowed him to receive a commercial driver's license under national regulations.

The transportation secretary had earlier stated he was withholding $40 million from California for failing to implement language proficiency rules for truck drivers.

Strong Response from the Administration

"One-time television figure, now Secretary of Transportation, fails to grasp U.S. regulations," his administration retorted in a recent release countering the funding warnings. "For now, unlike this clown, we rely on data: The state's truck drivers had a fatal crash rate much lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the only state with a larger number of CDL holders – has a rate almost 50% higher than the state. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Polling Data and Political Future

A recently conducted study revealed that a majority of the party and 48% of all registered voters indicated that Newsom ought to campaign for the White House in the next election cycle. In recent years, his approval ratings has increased to an typical level of 33.5% from around 30%, while his unfavorability has decreased from an mean of over 40% to under 40%.

Some time ago, Newsom stated while visiting several key regions that he had "no idea" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He noted his earlier challenges, including being found to have a learning disability at the early childhood.

"The thought that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was typically not at the front – the idea that you would even throw that out is, alone, extraordinary," he stated. "No one can say? I am eager to see who emerges in the next election and who meets that moment. And that is the issue for the voters."