Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) addressed fellow Democrats this week, arguing that anyone already eyeing the 2028 presidential race is “disqualifiable” and out of touch with perceived urgent threats facing the country under President Donald Trump’s second term.

Moore also critiqued the Democratic Party’s 2024 campaign strategy while speaking with former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison on the podcast At Our Table, accusing it of neglecting wide swaths of the country and failing to engage key voters, particularly black men.

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“I think that anybody who’s talking about 2028 is not taking 2025 very seriously,” Moore said. “Anyone spending their time and energy building an infrastructure for 2028, I think, is almost disqualifiable because it means you’re not taking this moment seriously.”

Moore’s remarks come as speculation about his own political future continues to grow. The first-term Maryland governor is already drawing early buzz from high-profile figures and media outlets as a potential 2028 presidential contender.

Despite Moore’s refusal to entertain 2028 talk, several prominent voices within the party and beyond have begun to elevate his name.

Actor and longtime Democratic activist George Clooney recently described Moore as “levitating above the fray,” praising his intelligence, military service, and executive leadership.

Former NBA star Charles Barkley also weighed in, telling TheGrio that if the Democratic Party does not nominate Wes Moore or Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), he “would not even consider voting for anybody else” in the 2028 primary.

Still, Moore is adamant that now is not the time for 2028 chatter.

“You are obviously not paying attention to what this man [Trump] is doing to our communities,” he said. “You’re not paying attention to the fact that we have a president of the United States who is literally attacking our history.”

In the podcast conversation, Moore sharply criticized the Democratic Party’s 2024 campaign approach, saying it wrongly prioritized a few swing states at the expense of national engagement.

“It feels like there are certain areas and communities that we almost seemingly just gave up on,” Moore said. “We stopped competing. We stopped making the case.”

He warned that this narrow focus alienated core parts of the Democratic base, particularly communities of color and working-class voters.

“Do you know who hears ‘this is only going to come down to three states’? The other 47,” he said. “They feel like they don’t even matter.”

Moore emphasized that black men, in particular, have felt neglected, not only by Democratic messaging but by alleged structural inequities that the party has failed to address.

“We have a justice system that has been targeting and weighing against black men. We have an education system that criminalizes and punishes black boys. And we blame them for their failure, not the system,” Moore said.

Throughout the interview, Moore underscored that politics must be grounded in service, not calculation.

“This is not game theory. This is not checkers,” he said. “These are real lives.”

He cautioned Democrats against treating elections like a numbers game, reiterating the need for values-based leadership rooted in equity and inclusion.

“If you’re spending time focusing on 2028, to me, you’re disqualified because you’re not taking 2025 seriously.”

Moore, 46, is Maryland’s first black governor, a former Army captain, Rhodes Scholar, and nonprofit organization executive. He rose to national prominence with a sweeping legislative agenda and his high-profile leadership during the 2024 campaign, where he served as a key surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Though Moore has made clear he is not running for president in 2028, interest in him continues to mount, fueled not just by party insiders but also by celebrities, strategists, and voters looking for new leadership.

HERE’S WHERE POSSIBLE 2028 PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS ARE GOING

Moore insists his focus is squarely on Maryland and the urgent need to confront Trump’s return to power.

“We see you,” Moore told Harrison. “If you weren’t on the field in 2024, you shouldn’t be leading in 2028.”