Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has revealed that he will not run for president in 2024 after long teasing a White House bid.
Johnson shared the announcement during an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning,” claiming the decision was made to spend more time with his family.
“It is off the table. I will say this because it requires the B-side to this: I love our country and everyone in it,” Johnson said.
Actor and international star Dwayne @TheRock Johnson has been seriously talked about as a potential candidate for president – and it was talk he didn’t outright dismiss – until now. Johnson tells @thattracysmith he is ruling out a run for president & more this “Sunday Morning.” pic.twitter.com/38DltxUFej
— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) October 7, 2022
“I also love being a daddy. And that’s the most important thing to me, being a daddy. Number one. Especially during this time, this critical time in my daughters’ lives,” he added.
Johnson acknowledged that a political run would add to time already spent away from home during the early lives of his children.
“I know what it was like to be on the road and be so busy that I was absent for a lot of years when my first daughter’s growing up in this critical age at this critical time in her life. And that’s what the presidency will do. So, my number one priority is my daughters,” he said.
As The Daily Wire previously reported, the “Fast & Furious” star has teased possibly running for president as far back as 2016. In 2017, he told Ellen Degeneres about his aspirations to run for president, while in a 2021 USA Today article about “Young Rock,” Johnson echoed his interest in becoming president.
“Cool piece on why I should run for President. Maybe one day. Surely the White House has a spot for my pick up truck,” the star joked in 2016 as he hinted at a future run.
Cool piece on why I should run for President. Maybe one day. Surely the White House has a spot for my pick up truck..https://t.co/JpkZ4w1eh3
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 25, 2016
Johnson first tested the waters regarding a presidential role in a July 2021 People Magazine article after a poll showed that 46% of Americans supported his White House ambitions. He said he was grateful for the many opportunities that America has afforded him and could potentially run for president as a payment of debt.
“I love our country to my core and I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had here, as a half-Black, half-Samoan kid being able to work my ass off knowing tenacity opens doors,” he told the magazine. “In a lot of ways, I’m indebted to our great country for it.”
