Trump rules out 2028 VP bid but keeps door open to third term

Air Force One | Tokyo: U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday ruled out running for vice president in the 2028 election but declined to say definitively that he would not seek a third term, fueling speculation about whether he might try to extend his time in office.

Trump has long flirted with the idea of serving beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms, joking about it at rallies and teasing supporters with "Trump 2028" hats. Some allies have taken those remarks seriously, suggesting they are examining potential legal or political avenues to make it possible - an idea widely dismissed by constitutional scholars.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution bars anyone from being elected president a third time.


Some Trump supporters have floated a scenario in which he could run as vice president while another candidate runs for president and then resigns, allowing Trump to assume office again.

"I'd be allowed to do that," Trump said on Monday during an exchange with reporters aboard Air Force One as he travelled from Malaysia to Tokyo. But he quickly added: "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's not - it wouldn't be right."

Legal experts say Trump is barred from seeking the vice presidency because he is ineligible to be president. The 12th Amendment states: "No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the US."