Former President Donald Trump has hinted at a potential run for the White House again in 2028, sparking speculation among his supporters and opponents about a third term. However, the US Constitution explicitly forbids a president from being elected more than twice, whether consecutively or non-consecutively. Trump would need to repeal the 22nd Amendment to run again, which would require overwhelming support from the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the states. Given the Democratic opposition and potential Republican dissent, repealing the amendment seems highly unlikely.
Trump’s references to serving a third term may not be as serious as they appear. At a rally in July, he made hyperbolic statements implying that if he won in 2024, people wouldn’t need to vote anymore. This was interpreted as a promise to improve the US to such an extent that elections would become unnecessary. Trump has even previously stated that he is not interested in running for president again, especially considering his age. At 82 years old in 2028, he would be one of the oldest presidents in US history.
While Trump cannot run for a third term, the only president to have served more than two terms is Franklin Roosevelt. He served four terms between 1933 and 1945 before the 22nd Amendment was ratified in 1951. On the opposite end of the spectrum is William Henry Harrison, who died just 31 days into his term in 1841. Grover Cleveland is another president who served non-consecutive terms, going from 1885 to 1889 and then again from 1893 to 1897. Trump would not be breaking any new ground by running for a non-consecutive third term.
It is clear that Trump’s musings about running for a third term are largely symbolic. The limitations set by the US Constitution are stringent, and the process of amending it to allow for a third term would be arduous and unlikely to succeed. Trump’s assertions about not needing to vote anymore if he won in 2024 seem more rhetorical than serious. However, history has shown that there have been instances of presidents serving more than two terms and even serving non-consecutive terms, indicating that Trump’s hypothetical candidacy for a third term would not be an unprecedented event.
