U.S. President Donald Trump has formally ruled out the possibility of seeking a third presidential term, acknowledging that the U.S. Constitution bars him from doing so, even as he lamented the restriction.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, October 29, while en route from Japan to South Korea, Trump said:
“If you read it, it’s pretty clear. I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad.”
The president’s comments followed remarks by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who told reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday that it would be “impossible” for Trump to extend his stay in office beyond two terms.
“I don’t see the path for that,” Johnson said, noting that he had discussed the issue directly with the president. “He and I have talked about the constrictions of the Constitution.”
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1951, limits any individual to two elected presidential terms. Amending it, Johnson explained, would be a “cumbersome, decade-long process” requiring supermajorities in Congress and ratification by the states.
Still, Johnson assured that Trump’s team remains focused:
“We’re not going to take our foot off the gas pedal. We’re going to deliver for the American people, and we’ve got a great run ahead of us — he’ll have four strong years.”
Despite his acknowledgment of constitutional limits, Trump has repeatedly flirted with the idea of a third term. “Trump 2028” hats have been spotted at events, and his longtime ally Steve Bannon has publicly floated the notion of a “third Trump presidency.”
Asked earlier this week if he would like to stay longer in office, Trump smiled and said:
“I would love to do it.”
He also hinted at possible successors within his party, naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance as “great options” for the next presidential election.
“All I can tell you,” Trump concluded, “is that we have a great group of people.”
