Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said he will take “three to four months” before deciding whether to run for president in 2020.
He also told the crowd Monday at the Chicago Ideas speakers’ forum that he would back out if he did not see evidence that he could win.
“I promise I would do nothing whatsoever to be a spoiler to re-elect Donald Trump. Nobody wants to see this president leave office more than me,” Schultz said at the forum, where he was interviewed by Chicago businesswoman and Starbucks vice chair Mellody Hobson, Politico reported.
Late last month in an interview aired on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Schultz told correspondent Scott Pelley that he is “seriously thinking of running for president” and would run as a “centrist independent,” despite being a lifelong Democrat.
Since his announcement, Schultz has been criticized by Democrats who worry the move would help Trump’s chances of being re-elected by splitting the vote. He acknowledged that criticism on Twitter has been merciless, according to Politico.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the
terms
Is our live election coverage important to you?
Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the 2026 Israeli election? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:
- Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock to report political developments as they unfold;
- Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and podcasts; and
- Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including our DocuNation streaming film series and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.
Join The Times of Israel Community
JOIN NOW
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
