Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz said he may enter the political arena now that he’s stepping down from the coffee giant, saying he wants to find a way to give back in “my next chapter,” according to a report on Monday.
“I want to be truthful with you without creating more speculative headlines,” Schultz, 64, told The New York Times. “For some time now, I have been deeply concerned about our country – the growing division at home and our standing in the world.”
He has referred to President Trump as “creating episodic chaos every day.”
“One of the things I want to do in my next chapter is to figure out if there is a role I can play in giving back,” he continued. “I’m not exactly sure what that means yet.”
Asked if that mean a run for the White House, he said he’s looking at a range of options, “and that could include public service, but I’m a long way from making any decisions about the future.”
Schultz, who grew up in Canarsie, warned about allowing speculation to spin out of control.
“I want to be of service to our country,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean I need to run for public office to accomplish that.”
He’s stepping down from Starbucks on June 26.