Can Donald Trump Run for President Again in 2028?
In an early morning speech in West Palm Beach, Florida, former President Donald Trump declared victory in the 2024 presidential election, telling an energized crowd that the United States was on the cusp of a "golden age."
Speaking before an enthusiastic audience near his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump reflected on what he described as "the greatest political movement of all time" and promised to bring transformative change to the nation.
"This was a movement like nobody's ever seen before," he said, emphasizing his pledge to address key national issues, including securing U.S. borders and strengthening the nation's future.
He is set to be both the 45th and 47th president of the United States, an unprecedented accomplishment in modern American politics, and there are still many questions about what happens next. But after this win, could Donald Trump run for president again?
Can Donald Trump Run for President Again in 2028?
No. Becoming the 47th president of the United States, and securing a second term in office, means that Donald Trump cannot run for president again in 2028. This is because of the U.S. Constitution's 22nd Amendment, which sets firm limits on presidential terms.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, states that a president cannot serve more than two terms. This term limit prevents Trump from seeking the presidency a third time in 2028, even if he wanted to run.
What Is the 22nd Amendment?
The 22nd Amendment was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1947, only two years after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death. Roosevelt had uniquely served four terms, breaking the traditional two-term precedent set by George Washington and respected by every president until Roosevelt.
The amendment, after ratification in 1951, formally restricted presidents to two terms, a regulation that has since become a fixed part of American electoral law.
Presidential Comebacks and Non-Consecutive Terms
Only one other president in U.S. history has served nonconsecutive terms: Grover Cleveland. First elected in 1884, Cleveland lost his reelection bid in 1888 but made a successful return in 1892, becoming both the 22nd and 24th U.S. president. This result means Trump joins Cleveland in the rare achievement of a nonconsecutive presidential comeback.
Could Trump Overturn the 22nd Amendment?
At a National Rifle Association ( NRA ) event in May, Trump mused about potentially being considered a "three-term president" if reelected in 2024.
Overturning the 22nd Amendment would be an extremely difficult and unlikely process that would require passing a new constitutional amendment. This would need either a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress or a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures to propose a new amendment. Even then, the amendment would need to be approved by three-fourths of state legislatures or state conventions.
Despite his words during the NRA rally, in an interview with Time magazine in April this year, Trump said that he would retire after a second term and not challenge the 22nd Amendment.
"I wouldn't be in favor of a challenge. Not for me. I wouldn't be in favor of it at all. I intend to serve four years and do a great job. And I want to bring our country back. I want to put it back on the right track," he said.
