'Governor' Donald Trump Jr? Not For Now, He Says

After Donald Trump's unanticipated rise to the presidency, it appears that politics, not real estate, is quickly becoming the Trump family business. Jared Kushner is mingling with the generals in Iraq, and Ivanka has a White House job, but family heir Donald Trump Jr. is a bit more hesitant to throw his "Make America Great Again" hat in the political arena.

Trump Jr. publicly shut down rumors that he's interested in challenging New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018 during an interview with the Associated Press.

But Donny didn't rule out politics entirely.

"I am not running in 2018," Trump Jr. told the AP. "Maybe someday. It's not something I'm doing now. But you never know, it's fascinating stuff."

What a tease. Trump Jr. told the AP that he's not ruling out a future run for office in order to keep his options open and so the media doesn't hold it against him if he ever changes his mind.

The rumor mill about Trump Jr.'s political aspirations started churning after he delivered a widely praised speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. At the time, Trump Jr. almost seemed like a more viable candidate than his father, who was trailing Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton in the polls.

At a convention breakfast, Trump Jr. floated the idea he would one day run for mayor of New York City after his children finished school. But it appears the father of five has set his sights on bigger fish.

"People keep asking me: When are you running for mayor?" Trump Jr. told the AP on Monday. "Well, I'm not. If I was, New York City mayor is much less interesting to me than perhaps other things like governor of a state. That's not saying I'm running. It's just saying that, hey, if I ever did something, I'd probably be more interested in something like that."

While current New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo may not have wanted to face off against the young Trump, he might not have lost any sleep over the prospect. Cuomo is enjoying his highest approval rating in two years, according to a February poll conducted by Siena College. The poll showed that 64 percent of New York voters thought favorably of Cuomo, compared to 34 percent unfavorable. Cuomo has also managed to turn his job performance numbers positive for the first time since 2014, according to the Siena College poll. Fifty percent of New York voters approve of Cuomo's performance, compared to 48 percent who disapprove.

“Voters like Cuomo more now than at any time since his second term began. Maybe it’s because they like his 2017 agenda, or perhaps it’s a comparison with the President, or it might simply be because it’s been quiet the last few months on the corruption front. Whatever the reason, Cuomo is riding high with New Yorkers right now,” Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said in a statement.

In fact, Cuomo may be thinking more about a faceoff with Trump Jr.'s daddy. Political pundits have widely theorized that the New York governor may have presidential aspirations, and Cuomo himself has been elevating his national profile lately. Cuomo appeared at the winter meeting of the National Governors Association for the first time in six years, and his 2017 state agenda includes flashy proposals, such as a free public college tuition plan he announced with the help of 2016 election standout Sen. Bernie Sanders.

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