Trump Does Not Explicitly Rule Out a Third Presidential Term

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on October 27, 2025, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo, addressed speculation about whether he might run for vice president in the 2028 election. He clearly stated that he would not run as a vice-presidential candidate, calling such a strategy “too clever” and saying it would not meet public expectations. However, Trump did not completely rule out the possibility of running for president again, remarking, “I’d love to do it — my approval ratings are at record highs.”

During his Asia trip, Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attended both the APEC and ASEAN summits. In discussing the vice presidency, he reiterated that “it’s not the right thing to do” and “it’s not what the people want.”

According to the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, no one may be elected president more than twice. Nevertheless, some of Trump’s supporters have suggested a loophole — that he could first run for vice president, and if the elected president later resigned, Trump could assume office as president, thereby securing a third term. Constitutional scholars, however, widely agree that such a maneuver would violate the spirit of the 22nd Amendment and would likely face challenges before the Supreme Court.