WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said he is “not allowed” to run for a third term, acknowledging the constitutional limits that restrict U.S. presidents to two terms in office.
Trump and his supporters have repeatedly floated the idea of a 2028 presidential run for the 79-year-old, drawing concern from opponents and enthusiasm from his base.
“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 on Air Force One.
Constitutional limits on a third term
The U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms. Trump began his second term in January after first serving from 2017 to 2021.
The former reality TV star frequently refers to calls from his supporters urging him to stay in power beyond his current tenure, despite the constitutional restriction.
Trump has also recently displayed red hats emblazoned with the slogan “Trump 2028” on a desk in the Oval Office.
Speculation and denials
A popular theory among Trump’s supporters is that Vice President JD Vance could run for president in 2028 on a ticket with Trump.
Trump ruled that idea out this week, and on Wednesday said it was “pretty clear” he couldn’t run again.
“But we have a lot of great people,” he said.
Congressional reaction
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Tuesday at the Capitol that he spoke with Trump about seeking a third term but doesn’t “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,” Johnson added, noting that while Trump enjoys teasing Democrats with slogans and hats reading “Trump 2028,” the Constitution remains unambiguous.
“I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution because it takes about 10 years,” Johnson said. “You’d need two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states to ratify (it). I don’t see the path for that.”
Bannon fuels third-term talk
Talk of a possible third term gained traction after Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser and a leading figure in the Make America Great Again movement, claimed last week that “there is a plan” to keep Trump in the White House.
“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.
Asked about the 22nd Amendment, which mandates term limits, Bannon said: “There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is.”
