President Trump knows how to push the media’s buttons — and he hit another nerve during a Sunday interview with NBC News, teasing the possibility of a 2028 reelection bid despite the constitutional two-term limit.

When asked about running again after his current second term, Trump said, “A lot of people want me to do it… but I basically tell them we have a long way to go.” He added that he was focused on the current administration, but when pressed further, he dropped the real kicker: “I’m not joking.”

That set off a firestorm, with the legacy media scrambling to figure out whether Trump was serious or simply doing what he’s always done best — trolling the left.

According to NBC, Trump claimed there are “methods” that could theoretically allow him to seek a third term. One example tossed out: Vice President JD Vance running for president in 2028 and stepping aside to hand the office over. “That’s one,” Trump said, then added cryptically, “There are others too,” before refusing to elaborate.

Of course, constitutional scholars — and most common-sense readers — know this path is unlikely to succeed. The 22nd Amendment clearly prohibits anyone from being elected president more than twice. It also blocks someone from serving more than two years of another president’s term and then getting elected twice.

But here’s the catch: if someone like Trump ran as Vance’s vice president and then took over, he wouldn’t have been “elected” to a third term — he’d have inherited the office. Sounds clever, but it doesn’t fly. The 12th Amendment closes that loophole by saying that no one ineligible for the presidency can serve as vice president. So if you’re barred from being president, you’re barred from being VP, too.

Still, this is Trump we’re talking about — and teasing the media with this kind of thing is half the fun. Even if it’s constitutionally impossible, it gets the talking heads worked up and keeps Trump in control of the narrative.

And that’s likely the point.

Trump has always enjoyed throwing out political curveballs just to watch the press melt down. This is the same guy who got journalists in a frenzy by joking about staying in office “forever” back in 2020. The left takes the bait every time — and he knows it.

In reality, Trump will be 82 when his second term ends. Even for a man with his stamina, that’s no small feat. JD Vance — young, sharp, and well-aligned with Trump’s agenda — would be more than capable of continuing the MAGA legacy if he decides to run.

Trump may even be using the 2028 speculation as a way to boost Vance’s profile by dangling the idea of continuity. It wouldn’t be the first time Trump has stirred speculation to strengthen his hand without ever intending to follow through.

As RedState’s Mike Miller pointed out, Trump had much more serious things on his mind during the NBC interview — including Iran’s rejection of peace talks and his promise of “bombing like you’ve never seen before” if provocations continue. That’s a far more pressing issue than fantasy scenarios about 2028.

But in classic Trump fashion, he gave the media a juicy distraction to gnaw on — knowing full well how it would play. And once again, they took the bait.

Prediction? Trump won’t run for a third term. But as long as he’s in the White House, he’ll keep trolling the media, controlling the narrative, and reminding Americans that he’s still the best show in town.