President Donald Trump firmly shut down growing speculation about a potential third term, telling NBC�s Meet the Press that he has no intention of seeking office beyond 2028, despite flirtations with the idea in recent months.

�This is not something I’m looking to do,� Trump told host Kristen Welker in the Sunday broadcast. �I’m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody�ideally a great Republican�to carry it forward.�

Trump�s comments appear to contradict his previous musings about a possible third term. In March, he claimed he wasn�t �joking� when referencing a 2028 run and hinted there were �methods� around the constitutional ban established by the 22nd Amendment. His campaign store even began selling �Trump 2028� hats, fueling speculation among loyal MAGA supporters.

Despite walking back any third-term ambitions, Trump remained cagey about whom he might endorse as his successor. He named Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as standouts, calling Vance �a fantastic, brilliant guy,� and praising Rubio as �great,� but declined to rank potential picks.

The interview covered a broad array of controversial issues.

When pressed on his administration�s refusal to comply with a Supreme Court ruling involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia�an illegal immigrant deported and imprisoned in El Salvador�Trump repeatedly deflected. Asked whether due process applied to citizens and non-citizens, and whether he was obligated to follow the Constitution, Trump answered, �I don�t know.”

On the trafe war, Trump suggested that tariffs imported goods could become a permanent fixture of his economic agenda, even at the expense of small businesses. �If somebody thought they were going to come off the table, why would they build in the United States?� he asked. He also dismissed calls for exemptions to help struggling small businesses, despite warnings from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce about potential �irreparable harm.�

After weeks of signaling that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell�s job was at risk, Trump reversed course, saying he would not remove Powell before his term expires in 2026. �Why would I do that?� he said. �I get to replace the person in another short period of time.�

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)