Joaquín Castro said on Thursday that his brother, Julián Castro, would be running for president in 2020.

“I’ll speak on his behalf here, he’s going to run for president," Joaquín Castro told Stephen Colbert after the host egged Julián Castro on about announcing a potential bid for the White House.

Julián Castro smiled and pointed at his brother, but did not deny the statement.

Julián Castro, a former Housing and Urban Development Secretary, set up an exploratory committee on Wednesday to test out his possible candidacy.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Americans are ready to climb out of this darkness. We're ready to keep our promises, and we're not going to wait. We're going to work," Castro had said in a video statement posted on a website for the committee.

"That's why I'm exploring a candidacy for president of the United States in 2020."

Julián Castro said he planned to make an official decision about running on Jan. 12.

If he were to run, Julián Castro would likely face a crowded field for the Democratic nomination. Likely contenders also include former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Democratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida Harris faces pivotal moment with Supreme Court battle MORE, Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Rep. Beto O'Rourke Beto O'RourkeJimmy Carter says his son smoked pot with Willie Nelson on White House roof O'Rourke endorses Kennedy for Senate: 'A champion for the values we're most proud of' 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE (D-Tx.).