MACKINAC ISLAND — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on Thursday that she does not plan to run for president in 2028. She made the remarks during the annual Mackinac policy conference, where she is set to be honored and deliver remarks.

"There will be a robust group of people running for president," Whitmer told Fox 2 Detroit in an interview Thursday, adding, "I will not be one of them in 2028, I can tell you that." Her second term as governor ends at the end of this year, and she is barred by term limits from seeking a third consecutive term.

Whitmer said she has been consulting with former public officials who have navigated post-elected life. "I’ve gotten counsel from people who’ve made the transition, whether it was my friend Gina Raimondo, who I sat with last night for a little bit, Pete Buttigieg, or Paul Ryan, who I have chatted with a fair amount. That’s the advice everyone says, take a little bit of time, and so that’s what I’m gonna do," she said.

At an April breakfast in Detroit, Whitmer had expressed uncertainty about her political future, saying, "I don’t know that I’ll put my name on the ballot again. I’m just not sure. But I also am 54 years old. I got a lot of gas in the tank." Her latest comments clarify her stance on a presidential bid specifically.

Speculation about a potential 2028 run had emerged nearly a year ago, with both Whitmer and U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., mentioned as possible candidates. Two Democratic operatives close to Whitmer had expressed skepticism at the time that she would enter the race.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Slotkin were in attendance at the Mackinac conference and are considered possible 2028 presidential contenders. Whitmer’s comments come as the Democratic Party discusses the next generation of leadership following the 2024 election cycle.