‘I’ll run, but only as your VP’: Hunter Biden tells Gavin Newsom as 2028 White House speculation grows

WASHINGTON, DC: Hunter Biden appears to have embraced Donald Trump's comments, hinting at a potential 2028 run, just not from the top of the ticket.

The 56-year-old son of former President Joe Biden teased that he could enter the 2028 race, not as the presidential nominee, but as California Governor Gavin Newsom's running mate.

Hunter Biden jokes about being Gavin Newsom's VP in 2028

The former first son, who has had other controversies, such as reportedly blowing $5 million on drugs, suits, and new teeth that infuriated his ex-wife during divorce negotiations, recently appeared on the governor's podcast, 'This is Gavin Newsom'.

In a teaser clip posted to X on Thursday, Newsom jokingly welcomed Hunter Biden as "Presidential candidate Hunter Biden," adding a playful twist to their conversation.

Biden immediately hit back, saying, “Here’s the deal. I’ll run, but only as your VP.” Explaining his choice with a laugh, he said the vice president's residence has one major advantage over the White House: it's "a lot cooler."

“I had to give you a break for just one day,” Hunter continued, referring to speculation of Newsom running for office in 2028.

His comments came after President Donald Trump suggested that he "could do well" in 2028, despite a drug-plagued past, which included a 2024 conviction for lying about his drug use in a gun purchasing form.

“If the guy from Maine can do well, I guess Hunter could do well too because the guy from Maine is a basket case, and I would say worse than him is the one from Texas,” Trump previously told reporters.

“I would say that if [Talarico] can do well, maybe Hunter can do well,” he added. “I’m not sure. It’d be pretty close as far as I’m concerned,” he continued.

Hunter Biden defends Graham Platner on Newsom's podcast

Further in the clip, the former first son is seen defending Democratic nominee for the Maine senate seat Graham Platner, who is under fire over allegations about toxic and dishonest relationships with women and claims regarding a tattoo.

Speaking to Newsom, Biden argued that very few Americans could pass a "show me your phone" test and still win elected office.

“If that’s the standard by which we are going to judge people, particularly people in elected office,” Biden commented, “then I don’t think we’re going to have many people in elected office.”

Both Biden and Platner have become sources of frustration within Democratic circles. While some party members worry that Biden's scandal-plagued return to the spotlight could hurt Democrats politically, others fear Platner's rise could jeopardize a crucial Senate seat in Maine after his decisive primary victory on Tuesday.

After lying low for a few years, Hunter found his way back into the headlines as he marked his seventh year of sobriety last week with a social media blitz after starting to post in May.

Some of his recent posts poked fun at people pointing out his past drug addiction, when he had a decades-long battle with crack cocaine and alcohol.

His recent social media activity has also ventured into political territory, including accusing CNN's Jake Tapper of "attacking my mom" in his latest memoir and criticizing Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump's proposal to develop a deserted island off Albania's coast.