Washington, D.C.: Former US President Donald Trump has publicly ruled out running for Vice President in 2028, but at the same time, he has stoked talk that he may try to run for a third term as President, which is against the law in the US.
Trump Calls VP Bid “Too Cute”
Trump said he might run for Vice President in the 2028 election when reporters asked him about recommendations from some of his followers. However, he dismissed the idea, saying it was politically naive:
Trump responded, “I’d be able to do that,” but then he immediately added, “I wouldn’t do that.” I think it’s too cute. Yes, I would say no to it because it’s too cute. I don’t think the people would enjoy that. It’s too cute. No, it wouldn’t be proper.
Some of Trump’s friends had recommended that he run for Vice President as a way around the two-term limit. If he won, the President could resign, and Trump would then be able to take over as President.
The 12th Amendment to the US Constitution, which says, “No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States,” makes this strategy more difficult.
Suggesting a Third Term
Even though the Constitution says he can’t run for president again, Trump left the door open by talking about his prior successes and current approval ratings.
“I would love to do it.” Trump said, “I have my best numbers ever.” When a reporter asked him if he was “not ruling out a third term,” he gave an unclear answer: “Am I not ruling it out?” I guess you’ll have to tell me.
The Republican leader, who kept saying he had “solved eight wars,” would be 82 in 2028 if he ran for another term. This would make him the oldest person to run for office.
The Constitutional Blockage
The Constitution of the United States clearly says that no one can be elected President more than twice.
The 22nd Amendment says, in part, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” It was approved in 1951, years after Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt defied the rules and was elected to four terms (he served a third term and died a few months into his fourth term in 1945).
Legal Consensus: All legal experts agree that the courts would stop Trump from trying to challenge the 22nd Amendment. Wayne Unger, a law professor at Quinnipiac University, said that the Supreme Court would preserve the amendment’s explicit wording.
Unger told media, “I would expect the Supreme Court to say no, it’s clear, two terms of four years each, Donald Trump, you cannot run for a third.”
So, even though Trump keeps bringing up the prospect of running for president again, the Constitution is the only thing that can stop him.