California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on November 2 he has no plans to run for president in 2028, reversing earlier hints about a possible campaign. Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, he answered simply, “I don’t,” when asked by Kristen Welker why he wanted to be president — a shift from his CBS News interview a week earlier, when he admitted he’d be “lying” if he denied considering it.
Newsom said his focus remains on California’s Proposition 50, and the 2026 midterm elections. “I’m not suggesting I am running for president,” he said, stressing that his priority is state and party work.
He also appeared to distance himself from former First Lady Michelle Obama’s message, “When they go low, we go high.” Asked if that still applies, he replied, “I would love to go back to that, but politics has changed. The world has changed.” According to The Independent, the governor’s comments reflected a broader belief among Democrats that today’s partisan climate has reshaped how they approach politics.
Turning to President Joe Biden, Newsom said he “never” doubted Biden’s ability to serve but acknowledged he raised private concerns after a May 2024 fundraiser in Southern California, where Biden reportedly failed to recognize actor George Clooney. He added that Biden’s June 2024 debate performance gave “all of us pause.”
Newsom said he voiced those concerns privately “with grace and humility,” adding he trusted Biden to “make the right decision.” For now, the California governor maintains that his attention is fixed on redistricting, elections, and his state — not on 2028.
