After Mentioning the '2028 Election'... Trump Steps Back, Says "I Don't Want to Do That"

In Contrast to Last Month's Sale of Merchandise Hinting at a Third-Term Bid

US President Donald Trump has attracted attention by making remarks indicating that he will not seek a third term. This comes as a sudden reversal, given his previous strong advocacy for a third term and actions such as selling merchandise apparently with a third term in mind.

US President Donald Trump appeared to prepare for a third-term bid, which is prohibited by the US Constitution, by selling hats and T-shirts labeled "Trump 2028" on his official online store. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

On May 4 (local time), in an interview with NBC, President Trump was asked about running for a third term. He replied, "As far as I know, that is not allowed. I do not want to do that," adding, "I want to have a great four years and then hand it over to someone else, to a great Republican."

President Trump had previously indicated a strong intention to seek a third term, making several comments suggesting a run and stating in a March interview that he was seriously considering running in the 2028 presidential election. He also appeared to prepare for a third-term bid by selling hats and T-shirts labeled "Trump 2028" on his official online store. However, the US Constitution limits the presidency to two terms, so President Trump, who already served from 2017 to 2021, cannot run for a third term.

Nevertheless, some have argued that his comment about "handing it over to a Republican" leaves room for a third-term bid. Since the Constitution prohibits a third term, his supporters have claimed there is a "scenario exploiting a constitutional loophole." This scenario involves Trump running as a vice-presidential candidate in the 2028 election, winning, and then succeeding to the presidency if the president-elect resigns immediately after inauguration. Supporters argue that while the Constitution limits the number of elected presidential terms to two, it does not explicitly prohibit succession to the presidency. In a March interview with NBC, when this scenario was mentioned, President Trump responded, "That's one way."

Meanwhile, in the same interview, Trump argued that he needs the authority to quickly deport undocumented immigrants, stating that it is unimaginable to have millions of lawsuits over this issue in court. He said, "I was elected to get them out of here, but the courts are stopping me from doing so." When the interviewer asked if he still needed to respect the Constitution, President Trump replied, "I don't know," sparking controversy. The second Trump administration has already been criticized for challenging the US constitutional system and seriously undermining the rule of law, so his response has caused even greater repercussions.