Trump seems to acknowledge he can’t run for a third term: “It’s too bad”

President Trump appeared to concede Wednesday that he’s not allowed to run for reelection in 2028 — after teasing the idea of running for a third term on and off for months.

“It’s a very interesting thing. I have the best numbers for any president in many years,” the president told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to South Korea. “And I would say that, if you read it, it’s pretty clear I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad.”

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1951, explicitly bars anyone from being elected to more than two terms as president.

Mr. Trump has periodically toyed with the idea of seeking another term. In some cases, he’s seemed to bring up the idea in a tongue-in-cheek manner, offering up “Trump 2028” hats to friends and foes alike. But he told NBC News earlier this year he’s “not joking” and he believes “there are methods” by which he could run for president again. And Trump ally Steve Bannon said in an interview released last week that “there’s a plan” for Mr. Trump to win a third term.

Asked about Bannon’s comments on Monday, Mr. Trump said he hadn’t given it much thought, but he did not definitively rule out running for a third term. 

Another close Trump ally, House Speaker Mike Johnson, said Tuesday he doesn’t “see a path” to changing the Constitution to permit a third term.

“He and I have talked about the constrictions of the Constitution,” the Louisiana Republican told reporters. “I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution because it takes about 10 years to do that.”

Some observers have suggested that Mr. Trump could get a third term if he successfully runs for vice president and the sitting president were to step down, enabling him to retake the Oval Office. The idea is constitutionally untested and experts are divided on whether it would work.

Mr. Trump seemed to rule out that idea on Monday.

“Too cute,” he said. “Don’t think people would like it.”