Daniel Wolfram
This often repeated joke could turn into something more serious
Political humor from politicians are like oil and water, two things that do not mix well.
A single post from the President of the United States can spark controversy about whether a leader is teasing their audience or dropping quiet hints about the future.
This time he tried once again with an often-repeated claim disguised as a joke in an AI post.
Starry Night tease
Donald Trump has once again raised eyebrows by hinting at running for a third term in the White House.
Last week, the president uploaded an obvious AI-generated graphic showing himself standing before a crowded room full of his supporters with the iconic Vincent van Gogh Starry Night sky in the background.
The artwork also featured the slogans “TRUMP 2028” and “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” He did not add a reason behind posting the picture, but instead wrote “Just kidding!”
A third term would violate the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment, which states that an individual can only be elected president twice.
Repeated promise
This was not an isolated incident on social media. Trump had previously shared the exact same Van Gogh image last Saturday.
He has also raised the subject of being president for a third term in person. Speaking to a crowd at an event last month, he dropped a subtle hint about his political future.
“I’m a little bit upset, because in two and a half years you may have a different president…. may,” he told the crowd at a Michigan event last month.
A joke could turn into reality
Legal experts warn that these continued jokes from Trump can be seen as a potential strategy for making the third term joke a real possibility.
“If the joke is really a secret way to test the waters on how much a legally dubious theory can fly, then yes, there’s absolutely danger there,” Anoo D. Vyas, assistant professor of law at the University of Massachusetts School of Law, told HuffPost.
Vyas suggested that repeated humor surrounding established constitutional limits can slowly normalize ideas that would otherwise seem unthinkable to the public.
