Hilary Clinton’s former campaign manager has poured cold water on speculation that she is planning to launch another bid for the White House.
John Podesta said the 2016 Democratic candidate had insisted she was not seeking to run for president again in 2020.
“I take her at her word. She’s not running for president,” he told CNN.
The broadcaster reported earlier this week that Ms Clinton had not ruled out a second bid to defeat Donald Trump.
She reportedly told friends she was “not closing the doors” on her Oval ambitions.
During an interview with Ern Burnett on Tuesday, Mr Podesta dismissed the speculation as “media catnip”.
“She says she’s not running for president,” he added. “She’s in Puerto Rico, trying to help the people that Donald Trump has abandoned, through the Clinton Foundation.
“I think she would have been a great president but that’s in the past and she said she’s not running.”
His comments contradict those of Mark Penn, a former aide to Ms Clinton, who said in November she was all but certain to launch another bid for the White House.
There is likely to be a crowded field of Democrat contenders vying to be the party’s candidate for 2020.
Thousands of supporters watched California senator Kamala Harris launch her bid on Sunday. Former House representatives John Delaney and Tulsi Gabbard are also in the race, as is Julian Castro, who served as housing secretary in Barack Obama’s cabinet.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand are also eyeing campaigns.
