Trump Confirms He Won't Run For a Third Term, Rebuking Allies: 'Not Something I'm Looking To Do'

President Donald Trump confirmed he is not looking to run for a third term in office in 2028, a scenario that would defy the Constitution as it stands but one that has been touted by some of his allies.

Speaking to NBC, Trump said he knows can't run in the next presidential election: "It's something that, to the best of my knowledge, you're not allowed to do. I don't know if that's constitutional," he said.

The president went on to make reference to those favoring the possibility, with the Trump Store, managed by the Trump Organization, even selling "Trump 2028" hats.

"There are many people selling the 2028 hat. But this is not something I'm looking to do. I'm looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody — ideally, a great Republican, a great Republican to carry it forward," Trump said.

"I'll be an eight-year president. I'll be a two-term president. I always thought that was very important," he added.

Trump had already signaled reluctance to go down that road, telling The Atlantic that a 2028 run "would be a big shattering." Even though he later said "maybe I'm just trying to shatter," he then clarified that "it's not something that I'm looking to do," and that "it would be a very hard thing."

The comments are a departure from previous comments. In March he told NBC News he was "not joking" about the possibility and noted that people are encouraging him to do so.

Some allies are openly discussing their intention to find a way to allow Trump to run in 2028. Former White House strategist Steve Bannon said this month that he is working on "five or six different alternatives" to that end.

"Quite frankly, I think four or five are going to work. I continue to say, as I told Bill Maher, on the afternoon of January 20th, 2029, Donald Trump is going to be president for his third term," Bannon added.

Asked about the two-term limit, Bannon said "we're working on it." "I think we'll have a couple of alternatives," he said. "Let's say that we'll see what the definition of term limit is."

It is highly unlikely that Trump would be allowed to seek a third term, even if he announced his intention to do so. The 22nd Amendment, added to the Constitution in 1951 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times in a row, saying "no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice." changing that amendment would require a two-thirds vote of Congress and three-fourths vote of the states.