Trump Discusses Possibility of Serving Beyond a Third Presidential Term.
Trump's constant flirtation with a third term in the White House, a notion the Constitution flat-out denies, has raised numerous eyebrows. Here's a lowdown on his persistence and the underlying controversies.
Trump's actions and statements have been raising eyebrows for quite some time. In a 2025 NBC interview, he openly stated that he was not joking about pursuing a third term, outlining a hypothetical method involving running as Vice President alongside J.D. Vance before resuming the presidency[1]. Moreover, his campaign started selling "Trump 2028" caps, clearly signaling his intent to defy the two-term limit[3][4].
Steve Bannon, his former strategist, also claimed Trump would run again in 2028 and be sworn in for a third term in 2029, suggesting a team was exploring potential workarounds[4]. However, such a move would face considerable constitutional barriers.
The U.S. Constitution restricts presidents to two elected terms, making a third Trump term legally infeasible[1][3]. Moreover, the 12th Amendment bars anyone ineligible for the presidency (due to term limits) from serving as Vice President, invalidating Trump’s proposed "Vance-Trump ticket" workaround[1][3]. Overriding these restrictions would require near-impossible constitutional amendments via two-thirds congressional approval or state ratification[1][4].
Trump's ambiguous responses often avoid a direct answer when confronted about leaving office[3]. Though 88% of Democrats believe Trump is serious about a third term and oppose it, only 38% of Republicans think the same. Among those who believe he's serious, 60% support the idea[2].
In brief, while Trump continues to hint at a third term, constitutional and political realities make a successful bid highly unlikely unless extraordinary and unprecedented legal changes take place.
- Trump's persistence in pursuing a third term in the White House, despite the constitutional restrictions, has resulted in selling "Trump 2028" caps and open declarations in interviews.
- However, the U.S. Constitution restricts presidents to two elected terms, making a third term legally infeasible, and the 12th Amendment bars anyone ineligible for the presidency from serving as Vice President, invalidating a proposed "Vance-Trump ticket" workaround.
- The constitutional amendments required to override these restrictions would necessitate nearly impossible two-thirds congressional approval or state ratification.
- Despite the controversies and the majority of Democrats opposing a third term, there are Republicans who support Trump's bid, with 60% approving of a potential third term if he were to pursue it in 2028.
