California Governor Gavin Newsom recently shed light on why he might not pursue a presidential bid, despite frequently being listed as a top contender for the Democratic nomination in 2028. In an interview with Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Newsom explained that his family harbors reservations about such a move. When Bash inquired if his family was supportive of a potential run, Newsom candidly responded, “It depends on the day.” He recounted a recent moment when one of his sons sent him a headline hinting at his presidential aspirations and asked about its veracity. Newsom replied, “No, I will do this as a family.” His son humorously retorted, “You can’t. I’m too young… You need to spend more time with us.” Newsom admitted to Bash, “How do you deal with that one? I’m busted.”

Positioning himself as a quintessential American family man, Newsom is a husband and father of four. His appearance on CNN coincided with the upcoming release of his memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry,” set to hit shelves on Tuesday. Last year, he ventured into podcasting, welcoming guests with divergent political views, such as former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and the late conservative youth leader Charlie Kirk, who tragically passed away last September.

Newsom has also emerged as a prominent figure opposing former President Donald Trump, often clashing with his administration on various political and policy matters. Notably, he played a key role in crafting Proposition 50, which shifted the redrawing of California’s electoral maps from the bipartisan California Citizens Redistricting Commission back to the Democrat-controlled state legislature, a change slated to last until 2030.

The move was made to reallocate the state’s congressional seats to leave fewer in the GOP’s column, a direct attack on the Republican House Majority and Trump’s ability to govern in Washington. Newsom has also taken actions to resist the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement measures, limiting the degree to which California law enforcement complies with federal ICE agents, and calling them a terrorist group.

During last year’s government shutdown, Newsom made $80 million in SNAP funds available to food banks in his state during a pause in federal funds, and he also sent the National Guard to help run them. However, some locations have rejected the troops’ help. The Trump Administration has noted at the time that states that choose to spend money on their food programs will not be reimbursed for their actions.