Celebrity and novelty 2028 presidential candidates
Could The Rock, Stephen A. Smith, Mark Cuban, MrBeast, or MatPat run for president in 2028? Every cycle a few famous names and internet draft movements go viral. Here is the honest, fact-checked answer: none of them has launched a real 2028 campaign - some, like Stephen A. Smith and Mark Cuban, seriously considered it and then ruled it out, and in one case the Constitution makes it impossible.
The short answer
No celebrity is actually running for president in 2028. The names that trend are internet jokes and fan draft movements, not declared candidacies. The one hard rule worth knowing: a president must be at least 35 years old, which rules out MrBeast on age alone. The Rock and MatPat are old enough, but neither is running.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Eligible, but says he is not running
The actor and former wrestler is the celebrity most often floated for president, and the speculation is not entirely made up - he publicly weighed a run before 2024 and polls showed real curiosity. But he ultimately said the job was not for him and that he would rather influence through his platform. He is a natural-born U.S. citizen (born in Hayward, California) and would be 56 on Inauguration Day, so he is constitutionally eligible. As of mid-2026 he has not launched anything resembling a 2028 campaign.
Born May 2, 1972 | would be 56 on Inauguration Day (Jan 20, 2029) | Wikipedia
Stephen A. Smith
Eligible - considered it seriously, then ruled it out
The ESPN host spent much of 2025 and early 2026 saying he was 'dead serious' about considering a 2028 run, telling interviewers that governors, mayors, and members of Congress had urged him to get in. By 2026 he ruled it out, citing money - he reportedly earns around 40 million dollars a year and said he is not willing to give that up to campaign. A registered independent who has said that if he ran it would be as a Democrat, he is a natural-born citizen and would be 61 on Inauguration Day, so he is constitutionally eligible. As of mid-2026 he is not a candidate.
Born October 14, 1967 | would be 61 on Inauguration Day (Jan 20, 2029) | Wikipedia
Mark Cuban
Eligible - says he is not running
The billionaire entrepreneur and former Dallas Mavericks owner has flirted with presidential runs for years (he explored an independent bid before 2020) and is a frequent voice on health-care affordability. For 2028 he has said plainly it is 'not going to happen,' with one caveat: he has said the only thing that would draw him in is if a sitting president tried to stay in power beyond two terms, which the 22nd Amendment bars. Born in 1958, he is a natural-born citizen and would be 70 on Inauguration Day, so he is eligible. As of mid-2026 he is not running.
Born July 31, 1958 | would be 70 on Inauguration Day (Jan 20, 2029) | Wikipedia
MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson)
Constitutionally ineligible - too young
The world's biggest YouTuber draws constant 'MrBeast for president' jokes, but there is a hard constitutional problem: the president must be at least 35 years old. Born in 1998, Jimmy Donaldson would be just 30 on Inauguration Day in January 2029 - five years under the minimum. He could not legally take office even if he ran and won, so a 2028 MrBeast presidency is impossible. He has shown no interest in running, and the earliest he could meet the age requirement is the 2032 cycle.
Born May 7, 1998 | would be 30 on Inauguration Day (Jan 20, 2029) | Wikipedia
MatPat (Matthew Patrick)
Eligible, but it is an internet joke
'MatPat for President' is a long-running gag from the Game Theory creator's fan community, not a real campaign - and MatPat actually stepped back from full-time YouTube in 2024. He is a natural-born citizen and would be 42 on Inauguration Day, so he clears the eligibility bar, but there is no actual 2028 candidacy here. It is a meme, and an affectionate one.
Born November 15, 1986 | would be 42 on Inauguration Day (Jan 20, 2029) | Wikipedia
Want the people who are actually running? See the full 2028 candidate list, take the which 2028 candidate matches you quiz, or compare contenders on the head-to-head matchups page.