Dwayne Johnson doesn't rule out presidential bid but acknowledges 'I don't know the first thing about politics'

Will presidential candidate The Rock ever go from sitcom plot point to reality? Dwayne Johnson still isn't fully ruling it out, while acknowledging not knowing "the first thing" about politics or policy.

Johnson spoke with Vanity Fair for a new profile published Tuesday and was asked about the possibility he could one day run for president, something the Jungle Cruise star has teased in the past. After seeing indications that many of his fans are into the idea, he told Vanity Fair he has done a "small amount of research and analysis to see where this comes from and to see what it could look like in the future." He also said he isn't ruling out the possibility and that "indicators are all very positive — in, for example, 2024, and in, for example, 2028."

At the same time, Johnson, who endorsed President Biden in 2020, noted that his "leadership qualities" don't guarantee he would be a good candidate for the presidency.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

"You know, at the end of the day, I don't know the first thing about politics," Johnson said. "I don't know the first thing about policy. I care deeply about our country. I care about every f---ing American who bleeds red, and that's all of them. And — there's no delusion here — I may have some decent leadership qualities, but that doesn't necessarily make me a great presidential candidate. That's where I am today."

Comments from Johnson about a potential White House bid date back years, and he told GQ in a 2017 profile, "I think that it's a real possibility." The NBC sitcom Young Rock, which follows Johnson during his youth, even depicts him running for president in 2032. After a poll suggested that 46 percent of Americans would support his bid, Johnson tweeted in April that "if it ever happens it'd be my honor to serve the people."