Trump spurns third-term talk: "Not something I'm looking to do"
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"Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker interviews President Trump in Florida on Friday. Photo: NBC News
President Trump threw cold water on the notion of seeking a third term in 2028 — an idea that has gained currency in some MAGA circles despite being unconstitutional.
- "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 told NBC News' Kristen Welker in a "Meet the Press" interview airing Sunday morning.
Why it matters: Trump has teased the possibility of running again. He said in March that he wasn't "joking" about the possibility, and that "there are methods" by which he could seek another term, despite the 22nd Amendment prohibiting it.
- The Trump Organization has been selling $50 "Trump 2028" hats.
On "Meet the Press," Trump hedged on who his successor should be, though he mentioned Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as prospects.
- "I don't want to get involved in that," Trump said when asked if he had a No. 1 choice. "I think [Vance is] a fantastic, brilliant guy. Marco is great. There's a lot of them that are great."
Other takeaways from the interview with Kristen Welker:
1. A dodge on whether he's required to uphold the Constitution: Trump was pressed on the administration's refusal to abide by a Supreme Court order to "facilitate" the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was wrongly deported and sent to a prison in El Salvador.
- The president said "I don't know" when asked if citizens and non-citizens deserved due process, as provided by the Constitution. He also said "I don't know" when asked if he was required to follow the Constitution.
- Trump said he "may" seek clarification from the Supreme Court on what it meant by saying the administration needed to "facilitate" Abrego Garcia's release.
2. Tariffs may be permanent: Trump said it's possible tariffs on imported goods would be permanent, adding: "If somebody thought they were going to come off the table, why would they build in the United States?"
- Trump also told NBC that he would not give exclusions to small businesses hit by tariffs, saying they wouldn't "need it."
- Asked by Welker whether he'd accept a near-term recession to hit his economic goals in the long run, Trump said, "Look, yeah, everything is going to be OK. ... This is a transition period."
- The comments came just days after the U.S. Chamber of Commerce penned a letter to the administration warning that small businesses may "suffer irreparable harm" from the tariffs unless exclusions were granted.
3. He won't fire Fed Chair Jay Powell: Trump backed away from his threat last month to remove Powell before his term ends in 2026, saying: "No, no, no. That was a total – why would I do that? I get to replace the person in another short period of time."
- The president roiled markets in April when he told reporters: "If I want [Powell] out, he'll be out of there real fast, believe me." The president later said he had "no intention" of firing the Fed chair.
