John Kennedy Drops 2028 Bombshell: 'Goobers' Could Push Him Into White House Race as He Takes Aim at Trump

Sen. John Kennedy has opened the door to a 2028 presidential run while delivering an unusually blunt assessment of Donald Trump, saying the president can go from 'zero to a-hole in about three seconds'.

The Louisiana Republican made the comments during NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday, October 4, as he defended fellow Republican Sen. Tom Cotton after Trump publicly shared a phone number he said belonged to the Arkansas senator.

Kennedy, 74, said his immediate plan remains a Senate re-election campaign. But he made clear that the right Republican field could change his mind.

Kennedy's Brutal Trump Assessment

The explosive Trump remark came after moderator Kristen Welker asked Kennedy about Trump's attack on Cotton over daylight saving time and whether the confrontation could hurt Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.

Kennedy dismissed the policy fight itself with another memorable line.

'Every now and then, there are disputes in Congress that have existential significance for the future of Western civilization. Daylight Saving Time is not one of them,' he said.

Kennedy then praised Cotton, calling him 'a rock star senator', before turning to Trump's handling of the dispute.

'The president, as we know, can be sometimes, he exists loudly,' Kennedy said. 'He can be tempestuous. He can go from zero to a-hole in about three seconds.'

He followed it with a direct criticism of Trump's decision to publish the number.

'I don't think he should have given out Tom's cellphone number,' Kennedy said. 'I don't think that's going to help convince Tom.'

Trump's Cotton Phone Number Clash

Trump escalated the dispute on October 3 by posting a phone number he said belonged to Cotton and urging people in Arkansas to contact the senator.

The fight centres on the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent and end the twice-yearly clock change.

Trump is pushing for the legislation, while Cotton opposes it, arguing that permanent daylight saving time could leave children travelling to school in darkness during winter mornings. The House passed the bill in July, but it faces resistance in the Senate.

Reuters reported that when it called the number Trump posted, the call went to a voicemail box that did not identify itself as belonging to Cotton.

Cotton has said he does not favour changing the clocks either, but has argued that previous attempts to establish permanent daylight saving time were repealed after concerns over winter sunrises.

Kennedy's response puts him squarely on Cotton's side of the dispute over Trump's pressure tactics, even as he remains within the president's Republican coalition.

Kennedy's 'Goobers' 2028 Bombshell

The Trump clash was followed by an even bigger question about Kennedy's own political future.

Asked whether he was considering a 2028 presidential campaign, Kennedy answered, 'Yeah', before stressing that he had not made a decision.

'My plans right now are to run for re-election,' he said, adding that he would consider another path if he no longer believed he could be effective in the Senate.

Then came the line that instantly turned his political future into a viral talking point.

'If a bunch of goobers run, and I think they're goobers, and one of the goobers might win, and I think I could do a better job, I would consider running,' Kennedy said.

Kennedy has therefore not announced a presidential campaign. For now, he says he is seeking another Senate term, but he has publicly acknowledged circumstances under which he could enter the 2028 race.

Kennedy's Wider Republican Role

Kennedy's comments come as he campaigns for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterms, with planned stops in Texas, Michigan and Ohio.

He also identified the cost of living as a major concern for voters and acknowledged that Republicans bear some responsibility for affordability problems.

'Some of that is our fault,' Kennedy said. 'We should have done more.'

But it was his extraordinary description of Trump, followed by his 'goobers' warning about 2028, that turned the interview into a political headline.

Kennedy is still running for the Senate.

Yet his message was unmistakable: if the Republican presidential field fills with candidates he believes are unfit for the job, he is leaving himself an opening to step into the race.