US President Donald Trump has simple advice for Kamala Harris if she decides to run for governor of California in 2026: start talking.
“Let her run,” Trump said in an interview with OutKick on Saturday when asked about Harris’ potential political future. “I don’t want to be [giving] people advice politically, but one thing she’s gotta start doing is she’s gotta start giving interviews.”
Trump pointed out that former President Joe Biden avoided interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic but still won the election. “Biden – during the COVID thing, he did no interviews, and he got away with it because of COVID,” Trump said.
Since her defeat in the 2024 presidential election, there’s been a lot of speculation on Kamala Harris’ future in American politics. Reports suggest she is weighing three options: running for California governor in 2026, making another presidential bid in 2028, or remaining a Democratic powerbroker without seeking office.
With sitting Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom term-limited, the 2026 race presents a significant opportunity for Harris. She is expected to decide by summer end.
At a pre-Oscars party last weekend, she spoke about “staying in this fight” while meeting key Democratic figures. Harris previously served as California’s attorney general after winning elections in 2010 and 2014, before becoming a US senator in 2016.
If she runs, she will join a crowded Democratic field that includes Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, former state Senate leader Toni Atkins, ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state schools chief Tony Thurmond, and former comptroller Betty Yee.
The election is set for November 3, 2026, with primaries in June.
During the 2024 campaign, Harris was cautious with media interactions and avoided popular platforms such as Joe Rogan’s podcast – unlike Trump, who took an aggressive media approach. With help from his son Barron, Trump engaged across traditional and independent outlets, appearing on shows hosted by Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Andrew Schultz.
His running mate, JD Vance, also pushed back against media narratives on mainstream networks, while Harris’ VP pick, Tim Walz, admitted he was restricted from doing more interviews.
During his interview with OutKick, Trump also reflected on his political comeback, saying that his re-election in 2024 “showed how bad [Democrats] were.”
“What they were doing didn’t work,” he said, contrasting his second term with his first. Trump said that his presidency now enjoys greater backing from various sectors, including the tech industry.
“If you look at the inauguration-look at the people that were there – it was a who’s who of a world that was totally against me the first time,” he said. “So a much different presidency. I have much more support.”