U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out seeking a third term in office, acknowledging that the U.S. Constitution bars him from doing so despite persistent speculation and encouragement from some of his supporters.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump remarked that while his approval ratings remain high, the constitutional restriction under the 22nd Amendment makes another presidential run impossible.
“I have my highest poll numbers that I’ve ever had,” Trump said. “And you know, based on what I read, I guess I’m not allowed to run, so we’ll see what happens… It’s too bad.”
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits presidents to two elected terms. Trump began his second term in January, having previously served from 2017 to 2021 before returning to the White House in 2025.
In recent months, the 79-year-old president and his supporters have flirted with the idea of a “Trump 2028” campaign — even displaying red hats with the slogan on the Oval Office desk — fueling speculation about his political ambitions beyond the current term.
However, Trump appeared to put those rumors to rest this week, saying it was “pretty clear” that he could not legally run again.
“But we have a lot of great people,” he added, suggesting that future leadership could emerge from within his circle.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also confirmed that he had discussed the matter directly with Trump and that both men recognized the constitutional barrier.
“It’s been a great run,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday. “The president knows — and he and I have talked about — the constraints of the Constitution. There is the 22nd Amendment. You can’t change that easily. It would take years and approval from two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states.”
Despite Trump’s acknowledgment, talk of a potential third term was reignited last week after Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House strategist and a prominent figure in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, claimed there was “a plan” to keep Trump in power beyond his second term.
“He is going to get a third term,” Bannon told The Economist. “Trump is going to be president in ’28. And people just ought to get accommodated with that.”
Pressed about the constitutional term limit, Bannon cryptically responded: “There are many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is.”
For now, however, Trump appears to be drawing a line under third-term speculation, signaling that while he remains at the center of American politics, his future may lie in shaping the next generation of conservative leadership rather than seeking another term himself.
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