Donald Trump backtracks on possibility of third term as president with unexpected statement

Many people have been wondering – some hoping, some fearing – whether or not Donald Trump might run for president after his second term in the Oval Office.

Technically, the move is banned under the US Constitution, which states: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once."

However, we all know that stranger things have happened in the world of US politics.

Is Donald Trump eligible for a third term?

At the end of March, Trump claimed there could be a loophole for getting around the law, insisting that he wasn’t kidding about a potential third stint in the role.

During an interview with NBC, he was asked about the possibility of term three, to which he responded: “There are methods which you could do it.”

Could Trump run for a third term? (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The president did not specify the 'methods' he had in mind, so it's hard to know how reliable they would be.

Trump went on: "I'm not joking... a lot of people want me to do it.

"But, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it's very early in the administration."

But now it seems he’s changed his mind on that matter, backtracking on the prospect of another presidency.

Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump said he would be a ‘two-term president’.

"So many people want me to do it," he said, referring to a third term.

"I have never had requests so strong as that. But it's something that to the best of my knowledge you're not allowed to do. I don't know if that's Constitutional that they're not allowing you to do it, or anything else."

Trump 2028 hats are currently on sale (Trump Store)

'Rewrite the rules'

NBC’s Kristen Welker then asked about the ‘Trump 2028’ hats currently on sale via the Trump Store, with the online listing for the product mentioning the phrase ‘Rewrite the rules’.

"There are many people selling the 2028 hat, but this is not something I'm looking to do," Trump replied.

"I'm looking to have four great years, and turn it over to somebody - ideally a great Republican."

He also used the conversation to point to other people within the Republican Party who could serve as potential future candidates, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.