California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he expects to decide by early January whether to seek the presidency in 2028, outlining his political timeline during a visit to the COP31 international climate conference in Turkey, where he also criticized President Donald Trump.
“I’ll make the determination at the beginning of the year, so we’ll spend the next few weeks with the family and make a decision early January,” Newsom told Turkey’s Anadolu news agency. He described the midterm elections as a “rebuke” of Trump.
The comments added a political dimension to Newsom’s latest overseas trip, during which he promoted California’s environmental agenda and condemned Trump’s withdrawal from international climate agreements.
The outgoing governor met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss expanding California’s climate cooperation with Brazil. His office also said Newsom completed a new climate agreement with Portugal.
Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, visited a forestry training center to share strategies for preventing and responding to wildfires. He also joined governors and mayors, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, at a gathering organized by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Much of Newsom’s international travel this year has been financed by wealthy donors to the California State Protocol Foundation, a nonprofit that has covered the governor’s travel costs rather than relying on taxpayer funds.
Newsom and his wife are also the subjects of federal investigations. According to the San Francisco Standard, federal investigators subpoenaed information about the Protocol Foundation’s donors and fundraisers, as well as Newsom’s overseas travel, events and any funds used for his living or personal expenses.
New polling, however, indicates that the latest election results may not improve Newsom’s prospects. His odds of securing the Democratic presidential nomination have fallen to 7% in prediction markets.
Newsom said the election results created an obligation for Democrats to deliver for voters.
“I’m particularly pleased with the outcome of the election, and I think the vast majority of people around the globe are very pleased with the outcome of the election as well,” he said.
Newsom’s office said the Trump administration had not sent a delegation to the annual summit for the second year in a row.
His overseas travels also drew criticism from Democratic strategist Steve Maviglio, who contrasted Newsom’s focus with Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra’s efforts to build relationships with Democratic lawmakers in Sacramento.
“This will be a refreshing change. A Governor who spends time working with the legislature instead of junkets to Turkey,” Maviglio wrote on X.
Newsom has remained deliberately vague about his presidential plans, acknowledging that he may run while leaving open the possibility of stepping aside.
In September, Newsom told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he would not enter the 2028 race if former Vice President Kamala Harris decided to run.
“I don’t know if she runs, but we’ll see,” Newsom said during a fly-fishing interview in Montana. “I wouldn’t run if she ran.”
The statement prompted eye rolls from some Democrats and Republicans. Newsom characterized a potential contest between himself and Harris as “mutual assured destruction,” citing their overlapping circles of allies and supporters.
Newsom has also said that his wife and children would need to support any presidential campaign.
“If they’re not on board,” he said, “that’s a nonstarter.”
