Could Donald Trump seek a third term as president?

Former and incoming President Donald Trump has previously implied that he could run for the White House again in 2028.

After securing a second term in the 2024 election, some of Donald Trump’s supporters and opponents have floated the possibility of the President-elect could run for a third term in four years time.

The claims – and fears in the case of Trump’s detractors – stem from comments of his own in which he hinted about returning for the 2028 vote.

However, Trump cannot run for a third term as president in 2028 because the US Constitution explicitly forbids it.

The 22nd Amendment specifically and unequivocally states that no one can be elected president more than twice, in either consecutive or non-consecutive terms, as is the case with Trump.

To run again, the President-elect would have to repeal the 22nd Amendment, which would be nigh on impossible as it requires an overwhelming level of support from the House of Representatives, the Senate and the individual states.

One potential route to amending the Constitution would need two-thirds of both the House and the Senate would to agree to it, in addition to 75% of US states.

In another, 34 out of 50 states would have to agree to hold an Article V Convention to discuss any potential changes to the Constitution. Even if the received enough support to be held, any proposed changes would have to receive the backing of 38 states.

Given the inevitable Democratic opposition to the move, as well as any Republicans who might be against it, Trump would surely be unable to gather enough support to even attempt to repeal the amendment.

It’s also worth pointing out that some of Trump’s references to serving a third term may not be as malevolent as they first seem.

According to CBS News, during a rally in July he said that people “wouldn’t have to vote anymore” if he won in 2024.

However, when put into context, it was a hyperbolic claim that he would improve the US to such a degree that there wouldn’t be a need for elections any more.

Speaking to a group of conservative Christians, Trump said the following, as quoted by CBS News: “Christians get out and vote. Just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It’ll be fixed. It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore my beautiful Christians.”

“I love you Christians and I’m a Christian,” Trump continued. “I love you, you got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.”

In another example, he asked a National Rifle Association rally whether he should be considered a “three-term” or “two-term” president, but this seemed to refer to his false claims that he was cheated out of the 2020 election rather than a declaration that he’d run again in 2028.

Indeed, Trump has even previously said that he wouldn’t be interested in making another presidential bid.

He would be 82 years old by then, and 81-year-old President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race, largely due to concerns over his age, show that age factors into the US electorate’s opinions.

Has anyone served more than two terms in the past?

Franklin Roosevelt is the only person to have served as US president more than twice.

He served four terms between 1933 and 1945, before the 22nd Amendment came into force in 1951. He died in office, 82 days into his fourth term.

That leaves him as the longest-serving US president ever at 4,422 days in total.

At the other end is William Henry Harrison, who died just 31 days into his term in 1841.

Trump will also not be the first US president to serve non-consecutive terms — that honour until recently only went to Grover Cleveland, who served from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897.