President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected speculation that he is planning to seek a constitutionally barred third term, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" that extending his presidency beyond two terms is "not something I'm looking to do," despite encouragement from some allies and recent merchandise promoting a hypothetical 2028 campaign.
"It's something that, to the best of my knowledge, you're not allowed to do," Trump told host Kristen Welker. "I don't know if that's constitutional... but this is not something I'm looking to do." The remarks came amid growing rumors fueled by the sale of red "Trump 2028" hats marketed by the Trump Organization with the tagline, "Rewrite the rules."
Trump's comments follow months of speculation that he might attempt to circumvent the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits any person from being elected president more than twice. While Trump acknowledged hearing "different concepts" from supporters-including a scenario in which Vice President JD Vance would run and hand over power-he stated, "I'll be an eight-year president, I'll be a two-term president."
The interview touched on the political future of the MAGA movement, with Trump singling out both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential successors. "It could very well be," Trump said when asked if Vance would be at the top of the list. "I think he's a fantastic, brilliant guy. Marco is great. There's a lot of them that are great."
Rubio, once a rival in the 2016 GOP primary, has emerged as a prominent figure in Trump's second administration, holding key positions including Secretary of State, Acting Head of the National Archives, and National Security Adviser. "Marco's doing an outstanding job," Trump said, though he added that Rubio may not stay in his current dual role permanently.
"Henry Kissinger did both," Trump said, referring to Kissinger's service as Secretary of State and National Security Adviser under President Nixon. "There's a theory that you don't need two people. But I think I have some really great people that could do a good job."
Trump emphasized that while he would ultimately pass the torch, he was focused on winning the 2026 midterm elections. "There are many people selling the 2028 hat," he said. "But I'm looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody, ideally a great Republican."
Asked if he had held official meetings to explore a third term, Trump said no, but noted "so many people want me to do it." Despite a recent House resolution introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles (R., Tenn.) to remove the two-term limit, the legislative effort has gained little traction. Rep. Dan Goldman (D., N.Y.) responded with a resolution reaffirming the 22nd Amendment's restriction.
Trump also addressed immigration and deportation policy during the wide-ranging interview. "We have an emergency. We have a massive emergency overall," he said. Trump's administration claims that illegal border crossings have fallen 96% compared to the Biden administration, though its deportation policies have faced legal challenges. The White House stated that 139,000 deportations have occurred since Trump's second inauguration.
On the political front, Trump dismissed concerns that his policies-including widespread tariffs and aggressive executive actions-could cost Republicans in 2026. "If you look, it's pretty consistent that whoever wins the presidency ends up losing the House, losing the Senate. I think we're going to turn that around. I think we're going to turn it around easy," he said.
