Trump says 2028 GOP nominee is ‘not going to be me’, hints person is ‘probably’ seated at his table

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said definitively that he won't be the 2028 Republican presidential nominee and suggested that his successor will come from within his current administration.

Trump made the comment during a Cabinet meeting, where he expressed confidence in the GOP’s position over Democrats in the next election cycle because of what he called the latter’s “really bad policy.”

Trump rules out 2028 bid, signals GOP successor is already in his admin

During a marathon Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 2, President Donald Trump addressed the upcoming 2028 presidential race, asserting that he will not be seeking the nomination.

He predicted his successor would be a colleague, stating, “It's not going to be me. It's going to be somebody that's probably sitting at this table. It could be a couple of people sitting at this table, could be a couple of people running together sitting at this table.”

Trump added that whoever it is, he wants them to win, saying, “I want them to win because we've done a great job for this country and I want that to be carried forward and you know I think we have a tremendous bench.”

Trump previously acknowledged this constitutional constraint on October 29, when he told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I would say that if you read it, it's pretty clear, I'm not allowed to run. It's too bad.”

JD Vance and Marco Rubio emerge as top GOP contenders for 2028

Around the Cabinet table sat several figures widely viewed as strong contenders for the GOP’s 2028 nomination, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Trump has commented on the prospects of both men in the past. Asked in August about whether the vice president was the heir to the MAGA movement, Trump called Vance the “most likely” heir.

However, when Fox News later asked if Vance was his chosen successor, Trump responded, “No, but he’s very capable,” adding, “It’s too early.” On August 5, the president again stressed that it was “too early” to discuss Vance as his successor, but acknowledged the vice president’s advantage, saying, “He’s doing a great job and would probably be favored at this point” to secure the nomination.

Nonetheless, the President has also been consistently praising Rubio, despite the Secretary of State’s past rivalry with Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

Trump acknowledges 22nd Amendment bars him from 2028 run

It is worth noting that the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution clearly states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.”

In his first year back in office, Trump spent several months speculating about a possible third term, even selling “Trump 2028” hats. 

However, he has more recently made definitive remarks acknowledging the constitutional limit. His statement on October 29, “I would say that if you read it, it’s pretty clear, I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad”, was his clearest acknowledgment that the 22nd Amendment prevents him from seeking the presidency in 2028.