Trump said he could serve a third term in 2028 by first running as vice president and then assuming office if the sitting president were to step down
Donald Trump said Monday that he would not run for vice president in the 2028 election — an idea some supporters have floated as a workaround to let him serve a third term in the White House.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Tokyo, Japan — part of a five-day trip through Asia during which he hopes to reach a trade truce with China’s president, Xi Jinping — Trump acknowledged that such a tactic might technically be allowed.
“I’d be allowed to do that,” Trump said.
But he immediately dismissed the idea:
“I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute. Yeah, I would rule that out because it’s too cute. I think the people wouldn’t like that … It wouldn’t be right.”
The 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution bars anyone from being elected president more than twice.
Some of Trump’s allies have suggested a strategy where Trump could run as vice president on the ticket with another candidate, who would then resign, allowing Trump — as vice president — to assume the presidency again. Critics have challenged the legality of such a maneuver.
Trump, commenting on the idea of a third term, said:
“I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever.”
When asked whether he was fully ruling it out, he responded:
“Am I not ruling it out? I mean you’ll have to tell me.”
He added that he believes the Republican team is strong, unlike Democrats:
“All I can tell you is that we have a great group of people, which they [the Democrats] don’t.”
Trump also named JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as people he views as strong potential candidates.
“I think if they ever formed a group, it’d be unstoppable.”
These comments continue Trump’s public hints and teasing on the topic — including distributing “Trump 2028” hats at White House events.
Meanwhile, in a weekend interview, former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump last November, said she is not finished with politics and strongly suggested she is considering another presidential run in 2028, without ruling it out.