MSNBC host and civil rights activist Al Sharpton said in a new interview he won't rule out a run for president in 2020, adding he isn't currently mounting a bid.
"I never rule anything out," Sharpton told BuzzFeed News.
The progressive firebrand and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, although it was viewed as more of a stunt than a serious attempt at the White House. He also ran previously for U.S. Senate and New York mayor.
Sharpton was a strong ally of President Barack Obama and said he would never use his MSNBC platform to criticize his administration. Sharpton, who has known Trump for decades as a fellow fixture of New York, has blasted him as racist.
If Sharpton did take the plunge in 2020, he would likely join a crowded field of candidates. Among those rumored to be considering or actively considering a run include former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.), former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D.), and former Attorney General Eric Holder.
A spokesperson told BuzzFeed Sharpton's civil rights organization, National Action Network, is focused on turning out voters for the midterms, where Democrats have their eyes on taking back at least the House of Representatives.
Sharpton has hosted MSNBC's "PoliticsNation" since 2011. The show aired weeknights until 2015, when he was pushed to just Sunday mornings.