Republicans in Congress Say They’re Not Ready to Think About Trump 2028

President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric about how much demand there is for him to stay in office. One Republican senator said “it’s tongue-and-cheek.”

Donald Trump

John McDonnell/AP

As President Donald Trump ramps up his comments about running for a third term, most Republicans in Congress wouldn’t entertain the possibility of a 2028 presidential primary that includes him.

Trump over the weekend declined to rule out the possibility of running for a third term in 2028, and on Monday he even took questions in the Oval Office about it, saying that he would “love” to run against former President Barack Obama. But on Capitol Hill, Republicans hesitated when asked whether they thought anyone would or should challenge Trump in a Republican presidential primary.

“I think you’re way out ahead of the game, because the Constitution clearly indicates that a president has a two-term limit,” Sen. Mike Rounds told reporters when asked if a Republican would challenge Trump in a primary. “But it is interesting to see how he has caught the attention of the American press.”