President Donald Trump dismissed speculation that he might run as a vice-presidential candidate in 2028.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Republicans already have a strong bench of leaders ready to carry the torch.
“We have great people,” Trump said Sunday during an in-flight gaggle with reporters.
“I don’t have to get into that, but we have one of them standing right here.
“We have JD, obviously. The vice president is great.
“Marco is great, I think,” Trump added.
“I’m not sure if anybody would run against those.
“I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable.”
Trump praised Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as future standard-bearers for the Republican Party while ridiculing potential Democrat contenders.
Referring to Reps. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Trump said:
“They have Jasmine Crockett, a low-IQ person. They have AOC’s low IQ.
“If you give her an IQ test, have her pass, like, the exams that I decided to take when I was at Walter Reed.
“I took those very hard — they’re really aptitude tests, I guess, in a certain way, but they’re cognitive tests.
“Let AOC go against Trump. Let Jasmine go against him.
“The first couple of questions are easy — a tiger, an elephant, a giraffe, you know,” Trump revealed.
“When you get up to about five or six, and then when you get up to 10 and 20 and 25, they couldn’t come close to answering any of those questions,” he said.
Asked directly whether he would consider a vice-presidential bid in 2028, Trump acknowledged that he could do so legally but dismissed the idea as “too cute.”
“You’d be allowed to do that, but I wouldn’t do that,” he told reporters. “I think it’s too cute.”
When pressed on whether that was the administration’s official legal position, Trump clarified:
“You’d be allowed to do that, but I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute.”
The comments came as Trump travels through Asia this week for a five-day diplomatic tour that includes stops in Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia.
The president landed in Tokyo early Tuesday morning, where he’s scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female head of government.
He also confirmed he would be open to meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un during his visit to Seoul.
Bannon: “Trump 2028” Movement Will Continue Regardless
Trump’s remarks also follow comments from former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon.
Last week, Bannon said that he believes Trump will continue to play a defining role in shaping American politics, even into 2028.
Speaking to The Economist’s Zanny Minton Beddoes, Bannon predicted that Trump’s movement will extend beyond traditional political timelines.
“He’s going to get a third term,” Bannon said.
“So ‘Trump 28,’ Trump is going to be president of ’28 and people just ought to get accommodated with that.”
Bannon argues that Trump’s agenda represents a long-term realignment of American politics rather than a short-term campaign cycle.
He described Trump as “an instrument of providence” who “was chosen to take on the system,” and insisted that the Constitution’s limits ultimately reflect the will of the people.
“The only way President Trump wins in 2028 and continues to stay in office is by the will of the American people,” Bannon said.
“And the will of the American people is what the Constitution embodies.”
WATCH:
While Trump brushed off the notion of running as vice president, Bannon’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among the president’s allies that the “America First” movement will continue to dominate the Republican Party for years to come, whether he’s on the ticket or not.
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