Trump refuses to rule out third term, points to polling and good physical exam

President Trump refused to rule out running for a third term while speaking with reporters on Monday, despite the Constitution limiting presidents to two terms.

“I would love to do it,” Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, when asked about a possible 2028 presidential bid. “I have my best numbers ever. It’s very terrible. I have my best numbers.”

Asked if he was not ruling out a bid for a third term, Mr. Trump responded, “You’ll have to tell me.”

“All I can tell you is that we have a great, a great group of people, which they don’t, ” he said, referring to the Democratic Party.

The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution explicitly forbids a president from being elected “more than twice.” No president other than Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to four terms from 1932 to 1944, has served more than two terms.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Mr. Trump said when asked if he would fight the courts for another presidential term.

Mr. Trump highlighted some other Republican candidates for the 2028 presidential nomination, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon said last week that there is a “plan” for Mr. Trump to run for a third term, and that Team Trump will reveal it when ready.

The president dismissed the idea of running on the 2028 GOP ticket as vice president.

“Yeah, I’d be allowed to do that,” Mr. Trump said. “I guess I think it’s too cute. Yeah, I would rule that out because it’s too cute. I think people wouldn’t like that. It’s not — it wouldn’t be right.”

Referring to recent health tests he received at Walter Reed hospital earlier this month, Mr. Trump said if his health tests came back with something bad, he “wouldn’t run.”

“It was perfect,” he said. 

In July, the White House physician diagnosed the 79-year-old Mr. Trump with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition when veins don’t move blood as well as they should.