There was a time when Donald Trump floated seeking an unprecedented third presidential term — but now, a sometimes friend, sometimes enemy of his is reportedly plotting a run in 2028.
Trump’s brief White House chief strategist during his first term, Steve Bannon, has started gathering political advice for a potential bid, sources close to both Republicans told the Daily Mail on Thursday.
Bannon, 71, behind closed doors has mocked the possible scenario of Vice President JD Vance running to be Trump’s successor, one source told the news outlet.
‘Love him… but Vance is not tough enough to run in 2028,’ Bannon has said, according to several people in his circle.
Who is Steve Bannon?
Bannon is a populist political strategist and media executive who has hosted the War Room podcast since 2019.
He served as chief strategist and senior counselor to the president from the start of Trump’s first term in January 2016, for seven months. He then left and rejoined the far-right syndicated news site which he co-founded, Breitbart.
Bannon was a Navy officer and worker as an investment banker for Goldman Sachs for two years. He also worked as an executive producer of Hollywood films until Trump won the 2016 election.
In one of the lower points of his career, Bannon in 2022 was charged with money laundering, conspiracy and scheming to defraud for his alleged part in a group that raised $15million to build a wall at the border with Mexico but skimmed the donated funds.
Is Trump running for president in 2028?
Trump has repeatedly mentioned the idea of running for a third term — even though the US Constitution prohibits it.
The 22nd Amendment, added to the Constitution in 1951, states: ‘No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.’
To get around that, Trump’s allies have raised the hypothetical situation of Vance running for president successfully with Trump as vice president, and then immediately resigning to allow his current boss to be commander-in-chief.
But asked by CNBC on Tuesday if he would run in 2028, Trump said: ‘No, probably not, probably not. I’d like to… I have the best poll numbers I’ve ever had.’ Still, he hasn’t taken it off the table.
What do Trump and Bannon think of each other now?
Trump and Bannon have had a rollercoaster relationship over the years.
They appear to be in good terms recently, with Bannon going so far as vouching for Trump’s possible 2028 run.
‘I’m a firm believer that President Trump will run and win again in 2028. We’ve had greater long shots than Trump 2028,’ Bannon told News Nation in March.
Trump has forgiven people in the past, especially when it benefits his political career, but would conceivably quickly turn on Bannon if they were both to run in 2028. If the race for the GOP nomination were to be between Bannon and Vance, Trump’s loyalty remains to be seen.
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