Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg – the first openly gay Senate-confirmed Cabinet member in U.S. history – has signaled his strongest intention yet regarding his political future, stating in a newly released interview that he is “more inclined than not” to launch a second campaign for the White House in 2028.
Speaking with host Steven Bartlett on Monday’s episode of the podcast The Diary of a CEO, Buttigieg addressed mounting speculation over his presidential ambitions. While confirming his current inclination to join the 2028 Democratic primary field, the former South Bend mayor offered a pragmatic caveat about the unpredictable nature of political timelines.
“I think I’m more inclined than not, but there’s so much we don’t know,” Buttigieg explained during the interview. “There’s so much I don’t even know about what’s going to happen this year, let alone … what we need to know later.”
The candid admission underscores Buttigieg’s continued standing as a barrier-breaking figure and top-tier contender within the Democratic Party following his historic 2020 primary campaign and subsequent Cabinet tenure.While stopping short of an official declaration, his comments provide the clearest confirmation yet that he views another presidential run as a very real possibility.
