【Text by Observer Net, Zhang Jingjuan】 With several years remaining until the 2028 U.S. presidential election, the "Trump variable" has already stirred up the U.S. political arena.

According to Politico, a U.S. political news website, President Trump gave a clear yet open-ended response regarding his potential candidacy for the 2028 election while being interviewed on Air Force One en route to Japan on the 27th. He stated that he is "very willing" to be elected again, and also named Secretary of State Rubio and Vice President Vance as key alternatives for the Republican presidential candidate.

This interview, which has drawn attention, directly responded to a recent proposal by Trump's former advisor Steve Bannon. In a recent podcast, Bannon claimed that "there are related plans," implying that despite constitutional restrictions, Trump could still run for president again.

In response to this proposal, Trump said, "I am very willing to do it. My popularity has never been this high."

However, Trump did not commit fully. After expressing his willingness to run, he immediately added that he hasn't seriously considered running again, and then shifted his tone to emphasize, "we have many very outstanding people."

When asked about specific candidates, Trump gestured towards Rubio, who was being interviewed in the press cabin, saying, "We have great candidates. I don't need to go into detail. One of them is right here." He also praised Vance, saying, "He is very excellent. I'm not sure anyone would want to compete with these two. I think if they team up, it will be unstoppable."

On October 27, 2025, U.S. President Trump boarded Air Force One to Tokyo, Japan, with Secretary of State Rubio and Treasury Secretary Bensont, marking the second stop of his Asian tour. IC photo

It is worth noting that, after Democrat Stephen Cleveland in 1892, Trump is the second president in American history to run for president three times consecutively and to be elected again after losing a re-election campaign.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution stipulates that no one should be elected president more than twice. The practice of presidents not seeking a third term was first established by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but it wasn't formally written into the U.S. Constitution until after Franklin Roosevelt died in 1947.

Amending this amendment is extremely difficult, requiring the support of at least two-thirds of the members of both chambers of Congress or two-thirds of the members of the state legislatures, and approval by four-fifths of the state legislatures.

According to Reuters, some supporters have suggested that Trump could first run for vice president, while another candidate runs for president and resigns after winning, allowing Trump to become president again.

But when asked whether he would run for vice president in November 2028, Trump said that he "has the right to do so," but he won't.

Previously, Trump had refused to endorse any successor for the 2028 election. In February, when asked if he saw Vance as his successor, Trump denied it. By May, Trump made his first concession, naming Vance and Rubio as potential successors. In August, Trump hinted that Vice President Vance "is very likely" to become his successor, representing the Republicans in the 2028 election. Reuters noted that this was his most explicit statement in supporting Vance as a future presidential candidate.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party has also been active. Two of the most influential figures in the Democratic Party, California Governor Newsom and former Vice President Harris, have recently released signals that they might participate in the 2028 presidential election.

American CBS called Newsom one of Trump's most closely watched opponents. A recent poll showed that 72% of Democrats and 48% of registered voters believe Newsom should run for the 2028 presidential election.

This article is an exclusive article by Observer Net. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566088327586136622/

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