President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he is “not allowed” to run for a third term, acknowledging the restrictions set by the United States Constitution.
Trump and some of his supporters have frequently raised the possibility of him contesting the presidency again in 2028, a suggestion that has drawn both concern from his critics and enthusiasm from his supporters.
“I have my highest poll numbers that I’ve ever had, and you know, based on what I read, I guess I’m not allowed to run, so we’ll see what happens… It’s too bad,” Trump said while speaking aboard Air Force One.
The United States Constitution restricts presidents to serving two terms, and Trump began his second term in January.
Having served his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump often remarks that some of his supporters have urged him to remain in office beyond his current tenure, despite the constitutional limitation.
The former reality television star has also recently displayed red hats featuring the slogan “Trump 2028” on a desk in the Oval Office.
A popular idea among his supporters is that Vice President JD Vance could run for president in 2028 with Trump as his running mate.
However, Trump dismissed that notion earlier this week and reiterated on Wednesday that it was “pretty clear” he could not run again.
“But we have a lot of great people,” he added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking to reporters on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Capitol, said he had spoken with Trump about the idea of seeking a third term but did not “see the path for that”.
“It’s been a great run, but I think the president knows, and he and I’ve talked about, the constrictions of the Constitution,” Johnson said.
“There is the 22nd Amendment,” he added, noting that although Trump enjoys teasing Democrats with slogans and hats bearing “Trump 2028”, the Constitution is explicit on the issue.
“I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution because it takes about 10 years,” Johnson explained. “You’d need two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states to ratify (it). I don’t see the path for that.”
Talks about a possible third term intensified after Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser and a key figure in the Make America Great Again movement, claimed last week that “there is a plan” to keep Trump in power.
“He is going to get a third term… Trump is going to be president in ’28. And people just ought to get accommodated with that,” Bannon told The Economist.
When questioned about the 22nd Amendment, which enforces term limits for presidents, Bannon replied: “There are many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is.”
