Former President Donald Trump has said he does not plan to run for president again in 2028 if he is defeated in the upcoming 2024 US presidential election. The 78-year-old has been the Republican candidate for three consecutive national elections and has significantly reshaped the party over the past eight years.
In an interview with Sinclair Media Group, Trump was asked if he would consider running again in 2028 if he lost to Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. “No, I don’t. I think… that will be it,” Trump responded. “I don’t see that at all.” However, he added, “hopefully, we’re going to be very successful.”
US law prevents presidents from serving more than two terms, meaning Trump would be ineligible to run in 2028 if he wins this election.
Throughout his political career, Trump has rarely acknowledged the possibility of losing. Instead, he has often energized his supporters with confident speeches and social media posts, promising victory at the polls. However, this is the second time in a few days that he has mentioned the potential for defeat.
At an event hosted by the Israeli-American Council last Thursday, Trump raised the prospect of losing and suggested that Jewish voters might play a role in such an outcome. “Do they know what the hell is happening if I don’t win this election?” Trump said, according to media reports. “And the Jewish people would have to do a lot with that if that happens because at 40% [support] that means 60% of the people are voting for the enemy.”
These remarks were criticized by the Harris campaign, the nonpartisan American Jewish Committee, and the Anti-Defamation League.
Trump’s rare acknowledgments of a possible loss come as the Democratic Party’s chances appear to have improved since Kamala Harris became its nominee following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
Harris’s campaign raised more than $190 million in August, compared to $130 million for the Trump campaign and its affiliated organizations. Polling data also shows Harris gaining an edge. According to national polling averages tracked by the BBC, Harris leads Trump by 52% to 48%. A CBS poll released on Sunday showed Harris holding a narrower lead in key battleground states, 51% to 49%, an improvement over last month’s even 50% split in a similar CBS poll.
Another poll released on Sunday by NBC gave Harris a five-point lead over Trump nationwide. The poll also showed a significant rise in Harris’s favorability ratings, with 48% of registered voters viewing her positively, compared to 32% in July.
Despite these developments, Trump continues to lead in key issues like the economy, cost of living, and immigration, according to the NBC poll.
