Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is clearing the air on whether he’ll run for the US presidency.
The actor confirmed to CBS’ Sunday Morning that he has ruled out running for office because he wants to prioritise his role as a father instead.
“It’s off the table. Yes, it is off the table,” he said when asked about running for president in a teaser from his forthcoming interview with the morning talk show.
“I will say this because it requires a B-side to this. I love our country and everyone in it,” he added. “I also love being a daddy. And that’s the most important thing to me is being a daddy, No. 1, especially during this time, this critical time in my daughters’ lives.”
He continued, “I know what it was like to be on the road and be so busy that I was absent for a lot of years in my first daughter’s… Growing up in this critical age at this critical time in their life, and that’s what the presidency will do. So my No. 1 priority is my daughters.”
The Black Adam star shares 21-year-old daughter Simone Garcia Johnson with his ex-wife, Dany Garcia. He is also father to six-year-old Jasmine and four-year-old Tiana, whom he shares with his wife, Lauren Hashian.
The action star’s interest in running for president dates back as early as 2017 when he expressed to Variety that he would “100% consider” a run.
A survey by Pipslay confirmed nearly half of Americans — 46% of 30,000 people surveyed — would welcome the former wrestling superstar into the Oval Office.
The Hollywood box office king said that a decision about his political future would be “up to the people” in a USA Today article published in February 2021.
“I would consider a presidential run in the future if that’s what the people wanted,” The Rock told the outlet. “Truly, I mean that, and I’m not flippant in any way with my answer. That would be up to the people... So I would wait, and I would listen. I would have my finger on the pulse, my ear to the ground.”
Dwayne stars in the DC superhero movie, Black Adam, which is set to hit the big screen on 21 October. Watch the trailer below...