Trump Ally Ric Grenell Eyeing California Governor's Race If Kamala Harris Runs

Donald Trump ally Ric Grenell is considering a run for California governor in 2026 if former Vice President Kamala Harris enters the race.

Grenell, a foreign policy adviser to Trump and the interim director of Washington D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, discussed his potential candidacy during an interview on the Politico podcast "The Conversation with Dasha Burns."

"If Kamala runs, I think there's a whole bunch of Republicans who are going to have to look at it – not just me," Grenell said. "If she runs, it is going to make me have to take a look at it."

Although Grenell asserted, "Right now, I'm not running for governor," he revealed he recently spoke with Trump about the possibility. He kept details of their conversation private, which he mentioned as Trump criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom's handling of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests in Los Angeles.

Newsom, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits, has filed a lawsuit against Trump for deploying military personnel to Los Angeles amid the ongoing protests.

Reports from Politico indicate that Harris is contemplating a run to succeed Newsom, her fellow Democrat. After her presidential election loss to Trump in November, sources close to her say she is expected to make a decision by the end of summer.

California Republicans are hopeful for a Harris candidacy. They believe it could elevate the race onto the national stage and create a "fundraising bonanza" that would benefit their party in a traditionally blue state.

Grenell resides in the Los Angeles area and holds a prominent political background, having served as ambassador to Germany, acting director of national intelligence, and Trump's envoy for special missions.

Recently, he was involved in negotiating the release of Americans detained in Venezuela. In February, Trump appointed him as the interim director of the Kennedy Center. During his conversation with Burns, Grenell also touched on Trump's mixed reception at a Wednesday performance of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center. Despite facing some boos, Grenell emphasized the center's commitment to tolerance.