Aboard Air Force One on October 29, 2025, en route to South Korea, President Donald Trump said the Constitution is "pretty clear" that he cannot run again in 2028, after weeks of hints and a fresh push from ally Steve Bannon. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four elections, limits presidents to two terms.
Speculation over a third Trump term intensified in recent days after former White House strategist Steve Bannon told The Economist that “there’s a plan” for Trump to return in 2028 and declared, “Trump is going to be president in ’28.” Bannon did not provide details. Those comments were widely reported by outlets including Newsweek.
Trump had entertained the idea earlier this week, telling reporters he would “love” to do it, remarks he made during an Air Force One gaggle while also boasting of having his highest poll numbers. But on Wednesday, he moved to shut down the talk. “Based on what I read, I guess I’m not allowed to run,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “If you read [the Constitution], it’s pretty clear. I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad, but we have a lot of great people.” His comments were reported by multiple outlets, including The Washington Post, the Associated Press and the Daily Wire.
Trump and his allies have leaned into the speculation with merchandise. His official store sells “Trump 2028” hats, and the caps have been displayed at the White House. During a Sept. 29 Oval Office meeting with congressional leaders ahead of the shutdown fight, photos showed two red “Trump 2028” hats on the Resolute Desk. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries later said on CNN that the hats “just randomly appeared,” adding that he turned to Vice President JD Vance and asked, “Don’t you got a problem with this?” to which Vance replied, “No comment.” Jeffries’ account was posted on his official House website and reported by several outlets.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who discussed the matter with Trump, also dismissed any realistic path to a third term. “I think the president knows, and he and I have talked about, the constrictions of the Constitution,” Johnson told reporters Tuesday, adding that the “Trump 2028” cap is “one of the most popular that’s ever been produced,” which he framed as trolling Democrats. Johnson said he saw no way to amend the Constitution in time.
Legal scholars say the law is straightforward. Rick Hasen, an election-law expert at UCLA, has said the 22nd Amendment is clear—no more than two terms—and characterized third-term talk as far-fetched while noting it helps Trump avoid lame-duck status by keeping 2028 attention on him rather than potential successors. Earlier this year, Trump told NBC News there were “methods” to do it, but subsequent reporting and expert commentary have underscored that any such attempt would face overwhelming legal and political barriers.
The 22nd Amendment, adopted in 1951 after Roosevelt’s four electoral victories, bars anyone from being elected president more than twice. Trump has been elected twice (2016 and 2024), which makes him ineligible to run again under current law.
