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Gavin Newsom, a well-known member of the Democratic party, has disclosed that he will make a decision about whether to run for president in 2028 following the 2026 elections conclude.

"Yes, it would be dishonest if I denied it," Newsom commented when pressed about seriously considering a White House bid post the 2026 ballots. "That wouldn't be honest. And I won't do that."

Newsom's time in office as California's leader concludes in January 2027, and he cannot run again. Yet, he emphasized that any choice is still years away.

"The future will decide," he added.

Increased Visibility as a Trump Critic

He has stepped forward as a notable adversary of the Trump administration, leveraging his social media accounts and pushing a initiative that would expand Democratic House seats in response to redistricting by Republicans. This action has invited attacks from critics.

Controversy Over Funds

Donald Trump's secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, claimed that Newsom shows no concern about Californians in a recent segment on Fox News. The secretary announced plans to withhold government money from California and warned revoking the state's ability to issue CDLs.

"I plan to withdraw $160 million from the state," Duffy stated, in the wake of a this week's tragic collision in California involving an unauthorized trucker that caused three deaths and injured individuals.

His administration pointed out that the U.S. government had renewed the individual's authorization multiple times, which enabled him to obtain a CDL under U.S. law.

The transportation secretary had before announced he was holding back $40m from California for ignoring English language requirements for commercial drivers.

Firm Rebuttal from the Team

"Ex-reality TV personality, now Secretary of Transportation, still doesn't understand U.S. regulations," his administration responded in a recent comment countering Duffy's threats. "Meanwhile, as opposed to this individual, we rely on data: California commercial driver's license holders had a fatal crash rate much lower than the countrywide rate. The state of Texas – the only state with more commercial holders – has a rate markedly elevated than the state. Facts don't lie. The Trump administration does."

Public Opinion and Campaign Considerations

A recently conducted poll showed that nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters and 48% of all registered voters said that the governor must consider running for the White House in 2028. In recent years, Newsom's favorability has risen to an typical level of about one-third from around 30%, while his unfavorability has dropped from an average of previous highs to under 40%.

In previous months, the governor commented while on a trip several battleground states that he had "no clue" about his plans for the next presidential election.

He noted his past difficulties, including being identified as dyslexic at the early childhood.

"The notion that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, who has ongoing difficulties with text, who was often seated at the back – the idea that you would even throw that out is, by itself, extraordinary," he stated. "It's anyone's guess? I am eager to see who emerges in the next election and who meets that moment. And that remains the key point for the U.S. citizens."