Constitution allows US presidents to serve twice
President Donald Trump began selling 2028 apparel on Thursday on the official Trump website, fueling speculation that his previous statements about wanting to seek a third term are still on the table.
That is despite the Constitution's barring US presidents from serving more than two terms in the White House.
The "Trump 2028" hats, which allude to the next presidential election in 2028, are selling for $50, reinforcing comments by the president in recent weeks that he is not joking about running for a third term.
"There are methods which you could do it," Trump said in a recent interview with NBC News.
In another interview, Trump said: "I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which in a way is a fourth term because the other election, the 2020 election was totally rigged." Trump was referring to his loss to President Joe Biden, an election in which he has continually claimed, without proof, was stolen.
According to the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution, "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once."
One way Trump said he could circumvent the Constitution and serve again could involve having Vice President JD Vance lead the Republican ticket in 2028, with Trump as his running mate. Vance could resign once in office in 2029, allowing Trump to assume the White House for a third time.
But that is not possible, according to the 12th Amendment, which states anyone who is "constitutionally ineligible" to serve as president also cannot serve as vice president.
The 22nd Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1951 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to four consecutive terms in the Oval Office.
Experts have said any attempt by Trump to serve a third term would be legally suspect and challenged in court.
With Trump, however, keeping that option on the table with the debut of his 2028 apparel, political pundits have said the thought of even considering the notion is an extraordinary reflection of Trump's desire to maintain power.
Critics have alluded to the president's power mindset, pointing to actions Trump took in 2020 that violated democratic traditions when he tried to overturn his election loss to Biden.
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