Pete Buttigieg, Biden's transportation secretary, opens the door to a presidential run in 2028

Pete Buttigieg, secretary of transportation under former President Joe Biden, announced last Thursday that he will not run for governor of Michigan or for that state's vacant Senate seat in 2026, so all indications are that he aspires to be a presidential candidate in 2028 for the Democratic Party.

Buttigieg, who is openly gay and married to a man, made the announcement on X.

"I care deeply about who Michigan will elect as Governor and send to the U.S. Senate next year, but I have decided against competing in either race. I remain enthusiastic about helping candidates who share our values - and who understand that in this moment, leadership means not only opposing today’s cruel chaos, but also presenting a vision of a better alternative," he said.

While he ran for the Democratic primary in 2019, he did so as mayor of South Bend, Ind. However, having served in Biden's cabinet, he may have a better chance of victory in the next election.

In a post on Substack, he stated, "I considered what I could bring to the race compared to other likely candidates, and what running and serving would mean compared to other ways I could make a difference in the years ahead."

Criticism of the Trump administration

Buttigieg also argued that the United States under the Trump administration is a "less free, less secure, less democratic – and less prosperous" country, which is why he will dedicate himself to "engaging both legacy and digital media in the service of a politics of everyday life, rooted in the values of freedom, security, and democracy."