After months of publicly trolling the media and foes by floating the idea of a 2028 presidential bid, President Donald Trump conceded Wednesday that the constraints of the U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment make a third run “pretty clear” he can’t be elected again.
The statement, delivered to reporters aboard Air Force One, appeared to be a definitive acknowledgment of the two-term limit.
“I would say that, if you read it, it’s pretty clear I’m not allowed to run,” the president stated. “It’s too bad. But we have a lot of great people.”
The concession follows a recent wave of third-term chatter fueled by the president himself—often showing off “Trump 2028” merchandise—and his allies, including former White House advisor Steve Bannon, who last week provocatively claimed there was “a plan” to skirt the constitutional rules.
The president’s off-again, on-again musings about a 2028 run have kept constitutional scholars and political opponents on edge.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) suggested on Tuesday that the entire spectacle was a deliberate effort by the president to provoke his rivals. Johnson stated he had discussed the “constrictions of the Constitution” with the president and did not “see the path” for a third term, adding, “He has a good time with that trolling the Democrats, whose hair is on fire by the very prospect.”
When asked about Johnson’s “trolling” assessment, the president demurred, saying, “I don’t think he said that. I don’t think he’d use that term.”
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four electoral victories, clearly states that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
While the path to amending the Constitution to allow for a third term is an extreme long shot, some supporters have floated unconventional “workarounds,” such as the president running for Vice President and later assuming the top office. The president ruled out that tactic, calling it “too cute.”
Despite his apparent acceptance of the law, the president concluded his remarks with a familiar boast and an ambiguous note: “I have my highest poll numbers that I’ve ever had,” he claimed, adding, “I guess we’ll see what happens.”
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