Former Vice President Kamala Harris’ return to the political spotlight Wednesday came not only with a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump, but also a carefully worded acknowledgment of her political future ambitions.
Speaking in San Francisco, in her first major public remarks since her 2024 presidential defeat, Harris blasted Mr. Trump’s economic agenda. His tariffs, “as I predicted, are clearly inviting a recession,” she said, in what was close to an “I told you so” moment, just about six months since Mr. Trump won all seven of the battleground states, as well as the popular vote, with a margin exceeding 2.5 million votes.
Harris also suggested she’s been having conversations about her next political steps, as California prepares to elect its next governor in 2026 and Democrats search for a presidential candidate to run in 2028.
“Everybody is asking me, ‘Well, what’ve you been thinking about these days,'” she said, smiling as the Democratic crowd responded warmly.
Sources familiar with Harris’ thinking say she’s weighing a gubernatorial bid in her home state, a third run for the presidency or not seeking elected office.
“I don’t think she will make a wrong decision,” a former senior Harris campaign official told CBS News. “Seventy-five million Americans voted for her. She is well-positioned.”
In recent weeks, Harris has ramped up her private outreach, holding meetings and phone calls with Democratic officials, strategists and allies. Those close to her say the focus has been less about plotting her next campaign and more about helping shape the Democratic Party’s path forward.
“She has been speaking to a lot of voices,” the former Harris campaign official said.
Harris is eyeing an end-of-summer deadline to announce her next political move and will be headlining a big fundraiser in May for the Democratic National Committee in New York, according to sources familiar with the planning.
