Starbucks boss Howard Schultz steps down amid rumours of presidential run

Long-serving Starbucks boss, Howard Schultz, has said he will step down later this month after 36 years at the company, and hinted at a possible presidential run in 2020.

In an interview with The New York Times, Schultz acknowledged that he may consider a bid for the White House.

“I want to be truthful with you without creating more speculative headlines,” he said. “For some time now, I have been deeply concerned about our country — the growing division at home and our standing in the world.”

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Later clarifying his remarks, the 64-year-old said: “I intend to think about a range of options, and that could include public service, but I'm a long way from making any decisions about the future.”

Schultz is “one of the most politically outspoken corporate leaders in America”, says CNN Money, and has been mentioned before as a potential Democratic candidate.

Under his reign Starbucks has taken progressive stances on a range of issues, including gay marriage, immigration and Trump's travel ban. Last year, it announced plans to hire 10,000 refugees over five years.

The Seattle-based company offers healthcare to all full-time and part-time employees and in March became one of the first major corporations in the US to announce it had reached gender and race pay equality.