United States President Donald Trump has firmly ruled out the possibility of running for vice president in 2028, shutting down growing speculation from some of his supporters that such a move could open a backdoor path to a third term in the White House.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, Trump acknowledged that while he might technically be allowed to run as vice president, he would not entertain the idea.
“I would be allowed to do that,” Trump said. “But I wouldn’t do it… I think it’s too cute. It wouldn’t be right.”
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits any individual to two elected presidential terms, effectively preventing Trump — who began his second term in January 2025 — from seeking re-election after leaving office.
However, several of US president’s loyalists have floated controversial legal theories suggesting he could return as vice president on the 2028 Republican ticket, and subsequently reclaim the presidency if the elected president were to resign.
One such scenario involves Vice President JD Vance running for president in 2028, winning the election, and then stepping aside — an arrangement that would theoretically allow Trump to resume office.
The theory gained renewed traction after Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House strategist and a key voice in the “Make America Great Again” movement, hinted in an interview with The Economist that “plans were in motion” to secure Trump’s return.
“He is going to get a third term… Trump is going to be president in ’28. And people just ought to get accommodated with that,” Bannon claimed, adding that there were “many different alternatives” under consideration.
In recent weeks, photographs of red hats reading “Trump 2028” seen on the President’s Oval Office desk have only fueled intrigue about his long-term ambitions. But Trump’s latest remarks appeared to draw a definitive line.
“I wouldn’t do it,” he repeated, emphasizing that attempting to bypass the Constitution “wouldn’t be right.”
For now, Trump seems intent on maintaining his image as a constitutional conservative — even as his allies continue to explore ways to extend the influence of the most polarizing figure in modern American politics.
