Newsom admits he will consider a presidential run after the midterms

The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, finally publicly acknowledged that he might jump into the 2028 presidential race, though he clarified that he will make the decision after the 2026 midterm elections.

"Yeah," he responded in an interview with "CBS News Sunday Morning" when asked if he was thinking about running for the White House. "[To say otherwise], I’d just be lying, and I can’t do that," he added.

Newsom, who cannot seek a third term as California governor and whose term ends in January 2027, has been one of President Donald Trump's chief Democratic rivals since returning to the White House, directly opposing several of his measures, especially in California.

The Californian leader had already signaled his national ambitions by visiting South Carolina, a key primary state, last July, a move interpreted by political analysts as an attempt to gauge support within the party.

In the interview, Newsom insisted that nothing has been decided. "I’m looking forward to who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment," he said.

Newsom's comment comes just days after former vice president Kamala Harris left open the possibility of a new run for 2028: "I'm not done," she told the BBC, hinting that she would again seek the feat of becoming the first female president of the United States.