Washington DC: In a move that’s got political pundits chuckling and constitutional scholars shaking their heads, President-elect Donald Trump has once again dangled the tantalising prospect of a third White House stint, sharing an AI-generated image on Truth Social that screams “Trump 2028, Yes…” The cheeky post, featuring a mock election poster, has reignited whispers of the 82-year-old Republican’s boundless ambition, even as he prepares to reclaim the Oval Office in January.
Yet, for all the MAGA bravado, the US Constitution stands as an unyielding gatekeeper. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 amid the shadow of Franklin D Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term reign — cut short by his death in 1945— flatly prohibits any individual from being elected president more than twice. “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” it declares, capping service at a maximum of 10 years if someone ascends via the vice presidency. Trump’s prior term from 2017 to 2021, coupled with his impending second, seals the deal: no encores allowed.
This isn’t Trump’s first flirtation with the forbidden. At rallies, he’s sported “Trump 2028” caps, eliciting roars from crowds, while past quips have blurred the line between jest and intent. Back in October, he quipped to reporters that the law blocking a third run was “unfortunate” but swiftly ruled out a vice-presidential dodge, calling it “like a light joke” and vowing, “I won’t do that.” Earlier, in a May NBC “Meet the Press” sit-down with Kristen Welker, Trump demurred: “I’m not joking about a third term… I want to have four great years and then get the hell out.” His focus, he insisted, lies in savouring success and handing the baton to “ideally a great Republican”.
Legal eagles dismiss any workaround as fanciful folly—a constitutional amendment would demand two-thirds congressional approval and three-fourths state ratification, a Herculean feat in today’s polarised arena. As Trump 2.0 looms, this latest tease serves more as red meat for the base than a roadmap to 2028. Will it fizzle like prior banter or stoke fresh fire? In the theatre of American politics, the script is clear: two acts max, no matter how thunderous the applause.