Pakistan-born US senator Chris Van Hollen sets sights on 2028 presidential race

US Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland who was born in Karachi, is considering a run for the White House in 2028, saying he is not seeking to become the next Democratic leader in the Senate.

Van Hollen, 67, confirmed his interest in a presidential bid in an interview with Fox 5 DC on Friday, putting to rest speculation that he could challenge Chuck Schumer for the Senate Democratic leadership.

“I’ve made clear that I’m not looking to be the next Democratic leader. I’ve been kicking the tires on a 2028 presidential election,” he told the television station.

Born in Karachi on January 10, 1959, Van Hollen has previously spoken of his special connection with Pakistan. In a message marking the country’s 79th Independence Day last year, he said he was proud to celebrate Pakistan’s people and the longstanding ties between the two countries.

“I am fortunate to have a special connection with Pakistan, having been born in Karachi as the son of an American foreign service officer,” he said.

He also recalled experiencing first-hand “the generosity, the goodness and the determination of the Pakistani people”, and expressed a desire to strengthen people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the United States.

His father, Christopher Van Hollen Sr., was a senior US diplomat who served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs and as ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. His mother, Edith Eliza Van Hollen, worked as a CIA intelligence analyst and held senior intelligence positions at the State Department, including responsibility for South Asia and Afghanistan.

Van Hollen has served in the US Senate since January 2017, after representing Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the House of Representatives for 14 years. Before entering Congress, he served in Maryland’s state legislature.

He is also known for his criticism of US military support for Israel and the Trump administration’s policies towards the Gaza war. He has been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and critical of President Donald Trump’s alliance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In 2021, Van Hollen thanked Pakistan, alongside other countries, for helping evacuate American nationals and others stranded in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.

He attended Kodaikanal International School in India’s Tamil Nadu state before graduating from Swarthmore College. He later earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University and a law degree from Georgetown University.

Van Hollen’s potential presidential bid could position him as a figure bridging traditional Democratic liberals and moderates with the party’s progressive wing.

Editorial note: I have retained the source’s claim about Democrats gaining control of both chambers only in the context of the supplied copy, but omitted it from the story because it is not necessary to the Pakistan angle and would need independent verification. The supplied material also does not establish whether Van Hollen has formally decided to run, so the story correctly describes him as considering a bid.