Trump Says “Too Bad” Constitution Blocks Him from Third Term

President Donald Trump openly expressed regret on Wednesday that the U.S. Constitution bars him from seeking a third term, telling reporters aboard Air Force One, “It’s too bad,” while acknowledging the 22nd Amendment’s clear prohibition. The remarks, made en route from Japan to South Korea, followed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s firm assertion a day earlier that no legal pathway exists for Trump to remain in office beyond 2028.

Johnson, speaking at the Capitol, confirmed he had personally discussed the issue with the president. “He and I have talked about the constrictions of the Constitution,” the Republican leader said, emphasizing that amending the 22nd Amendment would require a protracted process involving supermajorities in Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states—a decade-long endeavor at minimum. “We’re going to deliver for the American people, and we’ve got a great run ahead of us—he’ll have four strong years,” Johnson added.

Despite the constitutional clarity, Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of extended tenure. “Trump 2028” hats are distributed as keepsakes at the White House, and former campaign chief Stephen Bannon has revived third-term speculation on his podcast. On Monday, Trump told reporters he “would love to do it” before praising potential successors like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

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Pressed on whether he was definitively ruling out a 2028 bid, Trump remained evasive. “Based on what I read, I guess I’m not allowed to run. So we’ll see what happens,” he said. He dismissed a hypothetical scenario of running as vice president to circumvent term limits as “too cute,” adding, “You’d be allowed to do that, but I wouldn’t.”

The exchange underscores Trump’s pattern of testing institutional boundaries, from deploying National Guard troops against state objections to accepting private donations for military pay during the ongoing government shutdown. Johnson brushed off Democratic alarm over the rhetoric, stating, “He has a good time with that, trolling the Democrats.”

As Trump’s Asia tour continues with high-level trade talks, including a scheduled meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, his third-term musings—however constitutionally impossible—keep the political conversation fixated on his enduring influence over the Republican Party and the 2028 presidential contest.

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