Daniel Wolfram
The president claims his false claims about his 2020 defeat entitles him to run for the White House again in 2028.
Throughout his first two years in his final presidential term, Donald Trump has teased that he would be running for a third term in 2028.
He addressed the question directly during an Iowa rally ahead of the midterm elections.
While reviewing his political standing, the 80-year-old president admitted he had examined the ban on third terms: “I’ve studied that phrase forever.” He then added, according to Newsweek: “Unfortunately, it’s quite concise. There’s not a lot of wiggle room.”
Trump leans on the 22nd Amendment
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution makes it clear whether or not Trump can run for a third presidential term: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
Having won in 2016 and 2024, Trump is prohibited by law from running again. Even so, he sounded hesitant on stage: “I think the law says, I’m not 100 percent sure, but I think the law says that I’m not allowed to run again.”
Moments later, the tone turned combative. Reviving his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him, Trump argued that past grievances give him an excuse to bypass the amendment.
“They cheated us on the second one because we won it three times, so I think I have the right to run again. I think I have the right to run again because they cheated,” he said. He then added: “They rigged the election. They rigged that.”
Does Trump still have his eyes on 2028?
Trump had a red “Trump 2028” hat on during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in July and said: “I won three times. Now, I’m going to do it again.”
While Trump has shared many posts on Truth Social about being president again in 2028, allies have also tried to find ways to keep him in power. One of those ways was to install JD Vance as president while Trump served as vice president but remained the de facto leader. Trump has ruled out that method.
However, Trump keeps going back and forth on this non-issue. Back in August, Trump admitted the barrier was impossible to breach, telling reporters: “I’d love to run, but the law is very strong.” Still, he could not resist floating voter demand: “Everybody wants me to do it, but the law is very strong.”
Can the 22nd Amendment be repealed?
In reality, there has not been a more unpopular president since polls began tracking job performances among presidents. Even the Trump-friendly Fox News has his job approval rating at an abysmal 37%.
If Trump is serious about running for a third presidential term, and he is not willing to stage a hostile takeover of the government, he must get the 22nd Amendment repealed. That is easier said than done.
In order to repeal an amendment, it has to be congressionally approved by a two-thirds majority (about 66%) in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It then has to be ratified by three-fourths (75% or 38 of 50 states) in order to be repealed. That is very unlikely to ever happen.
The 22nd Amendment became constitutional law on February 27, 1951, after Franklin D. Roosevelt managed to serve three full terms until his death during his fourth term in April of 1945.
The intent is clear: No president should serve the American people more than two full terms.
