Newsom Questions Trump’s 2028 Ambitions

California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed doubts on Wednesday regarding whether President Trump would actually want to pursue another election in 2028. Speaking at the California Agenda summit in Sacramento, he stated, “I don’t think Donald Trump wants another election. I hated the hats his people kept sending me.”

Currently, Trump is in his second term and is constitutionally barred from running for a third. Yet, he has entertained the idea, previously suggesting he was “not joking” about the possibility, though many Republicans viewed this as a jest.

Earlier in the month, Trump chuckled while mentioning that a third term was “probably” off-limits. “I want to run. I have the highest poll count I’ve ever had,” he told CNBC’s Squawk Box.

Later that same day, Trump acknowledged that other potential contenders were “most likely” to rise, despite Vice President Vance stating it was “too early to talk about it” for 2028.

Meanwhile, Trump Organization has launched sales of “Trump 2028” merchandise, including hats featured on their website this spring.

Newsom also raised alarms about the perceived threats to democracy under Trump, asserting that he doesn’t view Trump’s comments about 2028 as mere jokes. “Do you really think people believe he’s serious about another election? When he brings a foreign leader to the Oval Office, is he just joking?” Newsom asked, referring to an incident where Trump was observed at a White House store.

Pointing to Trump’s intention to construct an extravagant ballroom on the White House grounds, Newsom questioned, “Who would spend $200 million on a ballroom and leave their home?”

While this is Newsom’s second term as governor, he has been seen as a strong candidate for the Democratic nomination in 2028. Recent polling indicates that support for Newsom’s potential candidacy has increased by eight points since June.

This year, Newsom and the Trump administration have clashed over immigration policies in California, leading to Trump’s anger over a recently passed plan to redraw California’s congressional boundaries, which was in response to Trump-backed changes in Texas. Trump has vowed to sue California to halt this plan.

As discussions around redistricting have intensified in recent weeks, Newsom has taken to social media to mock Trump, drawing parallels to the president’s own online antics.

At the summit, he remarked on a post saying there was a “kill switch” in the conversation but added, “It gets less every day.” He concluded by emphasizing, “I see the threat in much clearer ways, ways I’ve never seen before.”