Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Donald Trump says he doesn’t believe he will run in 2028 if he loses in November

Trump has suggested he may not accept 2024 results

Josh Marcus
San Francisco
Sunday 22 September 2024 20:39 BST
Comments
Biden not confident in peaceful transfer of power as he gives first interview since exiting race

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump likely would not run for president again in 2028 if he loses the election this November.

During an interview that aired Sunday on TV news broadcaster Sinclair’s Full Measure, the former president was asked if he could see himself running in 2028.

 “No, I don’t,” Trump said.

Donald Trump has said in a new interview he doesn’t see himself running in 2028 if he loses this November
Donald Trump has said in a new interview he doesn’t see himself running in 2028 if he loses this November (REUTERS)

If Trump wins this election, the 22nd Amendment would bar him from running again in 2028, but a loss now would leave another campaign on the table for the future.

Trump is rare to concede anything, but it seems running again in 2028, at which point he would be 82 years old, is something even he won’t bluster about.

“That will be it,” Trump added. “I don’t see that at all. I think hopefully we’re gonna be successful [in 2024].”

According to our poll tracker, Kamala Harris retains a nearly three-point lead over Donald Trump at this stage in the campaign, a gap that’s grown gradually since the candidates were functionally tied in late July.

The more immediate concern for many is whether Trump will accept the 2024 election results if they show he lost.

Trump would be 82 years old if he ran in 2028 - older than current President Joe Biden who dropped out of this year’s contest
Trump would be 82 years old if he ran in 2028 - older than current President Joe Biden who dropped out of this year’s contest (AP)

In August, Joe Biden said he was “not confident” at all Trump would concede, setting up another potential January 6.

“He means what he says,” Biden said. “We don’t take him seriously. He means it. All the stuff about ‘if we lose, there’ll be a bloodbath’. [The elections] have to be stolen, look what they’re trying to do now in the local election districts.”

Earlier this summer, Trump refused to give a straight yes-or-no answer on whether he would accept the 2024 results.

“If it’s a fair, legal and good election, absolutely,” he said during the debate, before repeating his baseless claims that “fraud” derailed his election chances in 2020.

Other prominent Republicans such as Elise Stefanik, Tim Scott and Marco Rubio have also suggested they may not accept the 2024 results.

When Biden bowed out of the 2024 race, it made Donald Trump officially the oldest person to run for president in U.S. history. An issue that would be amplified he ran again in 2028.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in