Democrat Ro Khanna’s 2028 pitch: tax the rich, regulate tech | NPR's Newsmakers

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Congressman Ro Khanna says America needs an “economic realignment.”<br/><br/>Fresh off a tour through his birthplace of Pennsylvania, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he is “thinking seriously” about running for president in 2028 — a race he called a “breaking point in America” that could lead to a destructive revolution or a new economic order. <br/><br/>“If we don't do something dramatically different, we may break,” Khanna tells NPR’s Steve Inskeep in this episode of <em>Newsmakers</em>.  “Have you met these folks in their 30s? They want pitchforks and torches. They want your scalps … politically.” <br/><br/>The California lawmaker — who acknowledged he sits around 2% in the Democratic presidential polls — does not have the name recognition of some other contenders, including his fellow Californians: former Vice President Kamala Harris and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5143015/why-gavin-newsom-refuses-to-be-a-bystander-in-this-political-moment"target="_blank" >Gov. Gavin Newsom</a>. He has, however, steadily raised his profile through years of action on issues ranging from <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/02/nx-s1-5664083/rep-ro-khanna-d-calif-talks-about-the-dojs-release-of-the-epstein-files"target="_blank" >the Epstein files</a> to a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/04/28/1094288815/two-democratic-progressives-plot-new-ways-to-fight-back-against-republican-gains"target="_blank" >wealth tax</a>. And his possible bid for president comes as the Democratic Party’s center and left-wing candidates battle over ideological differences within the party.<br/><br/>Khanna said Democrats need to nominate a progressive who will usher in “America’s next New Deal” and shouldn’t fear being labeled “communists” by Republican opponents, including President Trump. <br/><br/>“We’ve been calling the guy a fascist for 10 years and he’s won two terms,” Khanna said. “Labels usually don’t matter in American politics.”<br/><br/><em>Newsmakers </em>is where you'll find NPR's biggest interviews. Follow or subscribe on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you watch or listen to podcasts to get new episodes as soon as possible. You can also find <em>Newsmakers</em> on the NPR app. <br/><br/>Newsmakers relies on supporters who value independent journalism and a free press. Join NPR+ today to support our work and get perks from the podcasts you trust. Go to <a href="http://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >plus.npr.org</a>.<br><br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>