WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump struck a boisterous and defiant tone in remarks published Monday as he prepares to mark the first 100 days of his presidency.

Trump is slated to hit the milestone on Wednesday after over three months in which he has relied heavily on executive orders and the controversial Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency team to gut and overhaul the federal government, and greatly expand the breadth of presidential powers.

"The first time, I had two things to do – run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys," he told The Atlantic magazine in an interview, referring to his first term in office. "And the second time, I run the country and the world.”

Asked whether he is having more fun during his second term, Trump said he is.

"I’m having a lot of fun, considering what I do,” he said. “You know, what I do is such serious stuff.”

Trump denied asking the Justice Department about legal methods through which he could run for a third term in 2028, despite Constitutional prohibitions on anyone seeking more than two stints in office. Still, he held the door open to pursuing another White House run.

"That would be a big shattering, wouldn’t it?” he asked rhetorically, laughing. "Well, maybe I’m just trying to shatter.”

He said his supporters shout for him to do so, but added: "It’s not something that I’m looking to do. And I think it would be a very hard thing to do." The Trump Organization is already selling Trump 2028 hats for $50, referring to the next presidential election year.

Asked about ongoing tumult at the Pentagon as Pete Hegseth continues to find himself embroiled in controversy, Trump stood behind his defense secretary.

“I think he’s gonna get it together,” Trump said, referring to Hegseth. “I had a talk with him, a positive talk, but I had a talk with him.”