President Donald Trump said Monday he will not run for vice president in the 2028 election, yet he refused to rule out seeking a third term in the White House. The remarks have fueled renewed speculation over how he may attempt to extend his time in office.
Trump has frequently hinted on the campaign trail that he wants to remain in power beyond the usual limit, even selling “Trump 2028” merchandise to supporters. His latest comments keep that debate alive within the Republican Party as it looks ahead to its post-Trump future.
The U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment bars any president from being elected more than twice. It was passed after Franklin D. Roosevelt served four terms. Legal experts told Reuters and other outlets that there is no credible constitutional route for Trump to seek a third elected term.
Some Trump allies have floated a possible loophole: having Trump run as vice president and then ascend to the presidency if the elected president resigns. Trump addressed that suggestion during a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled from Malaysia to Tokyo.
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“I’d be allowed to do that,” he said. “But I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute. I think the people wouldn’t like that. It wouldn’t be right.”
Under the 12th Amendment, anyone barred from the presidency is also barred from serving as vice president, making the scenario legally unlikely.
When pressed on whether he would rule out a third term entirely, Trump responded, “Am I not ruling it out? I mean you’ll have to tell me.” He added that he believes he currently has “my best numbers ever.”
Asked if he would be willing to challenge the law in court, Trump replied, “I haven’t really thought about it.”
The uncertainty has complicated the Republican Party’s succession planning. Some rising figures are already positioning themselves, while other loyalists insist Trump should remain leader well into the next decade.
In an interview last week with The Economist, Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, claimed there is a strategy in place to keep Trump at the top of U.S. politics.
“Trump is going to be president in ’28, and people ought to just get accommodated with that,” Bannon said. “At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is. But there is a plan.”
He also described Trump as an “instrument of divine will,” rhetoric that aligns with language Trump has occasionally used himself.
Any attempt to extend Trump’s presidency beyond constitutional limits would face steep legal and political challenges.
