US President Donald Trump hinted at another White House bid during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, telling the audience, “I won three times, now I’m gonna do it again,” while wearing a red cap that read “Trump 2028.” Trump also repeated his claim that the 2020 election had been rigged.
Trump’s remarks came during a speech that mixed jokes with criticism of the media and his political rivals. Although he appeared to tease another presidential campaign, the US Constitution places strict limits on how many times a person can be elected president.
During the speech, he even joked about serving a third and fourth term before later saying, “I’m only kidding,” as reported by AP.
Can Trump legally run for president again?
According to the US Constitution’s 22nd Amendment, no person can be elected president more than twice. The amendment became part of the Constitution in 1951 after Franklin D Roosevelt served four elected terms. It was designed to prevent any president from winning the office more than two times.
Trump has already been elected president twice. He first won the 2016 election and served from 2017 to 2021. He returned to the White House after winning the 2024 election and is now serving his second elected term. His defeat in the 2020 election does not reset the constitutional limit because the amendment focuses on the number of elections won, not whether the terms are consecutive, reported ABC News.
Trump has himself admitted this limitation in the past. While he has often joked about serving another term and merchandise carrying the “Trump 2028” slogan has circulated for months, he previously said he was not allowed to run again under the Constitution, reported ABC News.
Could the Constitution be changed?
Changing the US Constitution requires approval by two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, followed by ratification from three-fourths of US states. This is one of the most difficult legal processes in the country, and constitutional amendments are extremely rare.
Some Trump allies have previously suggested changing the Constitution or exploring legal arguments that could allow another term. However, no such proposal has gained political support needed to become law, reported ABC News. Under the Constitution as it stands today, Trump cannot legally be elected president for a third time.
