Former Disney CEO Bob Iger admits his presidential ambitions were 'naive'
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger is "over" his presidential dreams.
Iger, who's stepping away as Disney's executive chair at the end of this month after previously stepping down as CEO, conducted something of an exit interview with Variety. In the piece, published Tuesday, he reflected on the fact that he once seriously considered running for president and told Variety a political future is now off the table for him.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Iger previously revealed he thought about running for president before the 2016 election and prior to the 2020 election, saying, "I really thought about running for governor and running for senator and running for mayor of New York and ultimately thought about running for president, which is I guess the ultimate sacrifice really."
He also said his wife was against the idea. "I said to her, 'I don't know what got into me. I'm going to run for president," Iger said. "And she broke out into tears. She basically said it will ruin our lives." His children didn't want him to run, either, so "the rest is history."
Iger's unrealized run wasn't entirely without support, however. "If Bob Iger had decided to run for president, I would be canvassing in Iowa right now," Oprah Winfrey said in 2019. "I would be going door to door."
Speaking about his post-Disney future to Variety, Iger indicated he has "no interest in running another company," and he's looking forward to having a "true day off."
-
Which way will Trump go on Iran?Today’s Big Question Diplomatic talks set to be held in Turkey on Friday, but failure to reach an agreement could have ‘terrible’ global ramifications
-
High Court action over Cape Verde tourist deathsThe Explainer Holidaymakers sue TUI after gastric illness outbreaks linked to six British deaths
-
The battle over the Irish language in Northern IrelandUnder the Radar Popularity is soaring across Northern Ireland, but dual-language sign policies agitate division as unionists accuse nationalists of cultural erosion
-
Trump sues IRS for $10B over tax record leaksSpeed Read The president is claiming ‘reputational and financial harm’ from leaks of his tax information between 2018 and 2020
-
Trump, Senate Democrats reach DHS funding dealSpeed Read The deal will fund most of the government through September and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks
-
Fed holds rates steady, bucking Trump pressureSpeed Read The Federal Reserve voted to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged
-
Judge slams ICE violations amid growing backlashSpeed Read ‘ICE is not a law unto itself,’ said a federal judge after the agency violated at least 96 court orders
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
