Donald Trump gave a more definitive statement dismissing another run for president in 2028, something that is barred by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
“It’s a very interesting thing,” Trump told reporters on his way to South Korea on Wednesday. “I have the best polling numbers for any president in many years. Any president. I would say that if you read it, it’s pretty clear, I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad. But we have a lot of great people.”
Earlier this week, Trump seemed to hold out the prospect of a 2028 bid, telling reporters that he was not ruling it out. But he called one scenario — in which he would run for vice president, then assume the presidency if JD Vance or someone else resigned — as “too cute.” “It wouldn’t be right,” he said.
On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said that he spoke with the president, and although Trump enjoys “trolling the Democrats” with Trump 2028 caps, “I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution, because it takes about 10 years to do that.” “I don’t see a path to that,” he said, in an implicit acknowledgment that there’s not a loophole to get around the 22nd Amendment.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, prohibits anyone from being elected president twice. A Trump run for vice president also would run up against the 12th Amendment, which states that “no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.” One theory being floated in Trumpworld is that Trump would only be bound by the eligibility in place in 1804, when the 12th Amendment was ratified.
Trump’s dismissal of a 2028 run is unlikely to temper claims among Democrats that he would try to remain in power. On CNN’s debut of The Story Is With Elex Michaelson on Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said, “They understand MAGA is not a movement. There’s no there there.” He noted that when Steve Bannon laid out a scenario for a Trump third term, he didn’t even bring up Vance. “MAGA is a cult of personality — Donald Trump,” Newsom said.
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