President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he is “not allowed” to run for a third term, recognizing the constitutional limitations on US presidential tenure.
Trump and his followers have regularly floated the possibility of the 79-year-old running for president in 2028, prompting worry from critics and cheers from 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 aboard Air Force One.
The United States Constitution limits presidents to two terms. Trump started his second term in January.
Trump, who previously served from 2017 to 2021, has often remarked that some of his supporters want him to govern beyond his current tenure, despite the constitutional prohibition.
He has also recently exhibited red caps with the slogan “Trump 2028” on his desk in the Oval Office.
According to a popular notion among his followers, Vice President JD Vance could run for president on Trump’s ticket in 2028.
Trump refuted that idea this week and on Wednesday said it was “pretty clear” he could not run again.
“But we have a lot of great people,” he added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters at a Capitol news conference on Tuesday that he had addressed the topic with Trump but did not see a path forward for a third term.
“It’s been a great run, but I think the president knows—and he and I have talked about—the constrictions of the Constitution,” Johnson said.
“There is the 22nd Amendment,” he added, noting that while Trump enjoys teasing Democrats with “Trump 2028” slogans and hats, the Constitution is explicit.
“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.”
The possibility of a third term reappeared after Steve Bannon, Trump’s former strategist and prominent member in the Make America Great Again movement, declared 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 to that,” Bannon told The Economist.
Speaking about the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms, Bannon replied, “There are many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is.”
