Reports: Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Is Thinking About a 2016 Run

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is reportedly considering a run for the presidency.

Two recent reports suggest the CEO and chairman of the world’s largest coffee chain is at the very least thinking about the idea. In a column published Aug. 1, the New York Times’s Maureen Dowd reported that friends have been urging Schultz to enter the Democratic primary, directly challenging Hillary Clinton.

Sharon Waxman, editor-in-chief of TheWrap, added fuel to the speculation on August 3, drawing on her personal connection to Schultz, whose venture firm is an investor in her publication. Though she acknowledges that Schultz lacks political experience, she provides a resounding endorsement of his leadership. “If you have ever seen the Starbucks CEO in action, you’d see that he’s a political natural,” she writes.

But it’s unclear whether Schultz is ready to pull the trigger. In April, Schultz told Fast Company: “I have no desire to be in an elected position in government. That’s not what I’m trying to do.” Starbucks officials weren’t immediately available to comment on the recent news reports.