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President Donald Trump has publicly acknowledged what many have long suspected – he cannot seek a third term in office. "If you read it, it's pretty clear," Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One while travelling from Japan to South Korea. "I'm not allowed to run. It's too bad." Trump's comments, delivered on Wednesday, follow long-running speculation about whether the former president might cling to power beyond the two-term limit enshrined in the Constitution. Souvenir hats reading 'Trump 2028' continue to circulate in the White House and figures like Stephen Bannon, Trump's former 2016 campaign chief, have reignited the discussion of a potential third term. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a long-time Trump ally, also weighed in on the topic, making clear that any path to a third term is blocked by law. "I don't see the path for that," he told reporters at the US Capitol on Tuesday. Johnson confirmed he had discussed the issue with Trump and believes the former president fully understands the legal restrictions. "He and I have talked about the constrictions of the Constitution," he said. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, prohibits a third presidential term. Altering this would require a new amendment – a decade-long process needing approval from Congress and the states. Johnson, however, remained upbeat about the Republican Party's future: "But I can tell you that we are not going to take our foot off the gas pedal. We're going to deliver for the American people, and we've got a great run ahead of us – he'll have four strong years." Trump himself remained slightly more open-ended. "Based on what I read, I guess I'm not allowed to run," he said. "So we'll see what happens." Despite the constraints, he praised the Republican field for the next presidential election, highlighting Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance as strong contenders. "I would love to do it," he admitted during his trip to Japan aboard Air Force One. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Vladimir Putin appears determined to rewrite the rules of power entirely. Reports suggest the Russian President plans to remain in office until he is 97 – and potentially pass the Kremlin keys to his son, Ivan, who is currently just 10 years old. The revelation emerged from a private conversation between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which the pair discussed longevity and the possibility of reaching 150 years of age. Xi remarked: "Earlier, people rarely lived to 70, but these days at 70 you are still a child." Putin replied: "Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and [you can] even achieve." Unbeknownst to them, their discussion had been overheard, prompting concern among Chinese officials who have sought to suppress details of the exchange. Investigative journalist Ilya Davlyatchin, in a recent Telegram documentary examining Putin's succession plans, revealed the Russian leader's immediate goal is to reign until nearly 100 while preparing Ivan to take over. "We even know the age Putin wants to live to – 97 years of age," he said. "This is the year 2050. It's simple – then his eldest son Ivan will turn 35, the age when one can be elected to the [Russian] presidential post. But there is a problem." Putin does not publicly acknowledge having children, nor does he admit his relationship with former gymnast Alina Kabaeva, Ivan's mother. Despite this, images of Ivan have surfaced online, even as ordinary Russians remain officially unaware of his existence. Political analyst and Putin's former speechwriter Abbas Gallyamov suggested the president's daughters may be more likely successors. "It could be one of Putin's daughters… absolutely," he said. Maria Vorontsova, 40, is an endocrinologist involved in longevity research, while 38-year-old Katerina Tikhonova, a former rock n' roll dancer, now heads the Inopraktika Development Institute, overseeing Russian projects to reduce dependence on Western technology. Gallyamov added: "For some reason, [Putin] allows them, little by little, to start participating in politics. They spoke twice at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, although, of course, [they were] not brilliant. But for some reason, he made [daughter] Katerina Tikhonova co-chair of the commission on import substitution… She can be promoted literally in three months – the official time of the election campaign is enough. I am not saying that this is a ready-made scenario. In fact, it contains many, many disadvantages." As Trump faces constitutional limits and a forced exit from the White House, Putin's wild ambitions underscore a stark contrast in global leadership. While American democracy bars its leaders from clinging to power indefinitely, Mad Vlad appears intent on extending his reign for decades – raising questions about succession, secrecy and the future of the Kremlin.
