- The Trump Store is now selling $50 “Trump 2028” hats, fueling speculation about a potential third term run.
- Trump and allies have floated legal workarounds to the two-term limit, including a controversial VP-to-president handoff scenario.
- Nearly half of MAGA Republicans believe Trump can run again, despite the 22nd Amendment’s clear restrictions.
Trump is fueling chatter about a third term, and now there’s merch to match the buzz. The official Trump Store has rolled out bright red “Trump 2028” hats for a cool $50, signaling that all those jokes (or not-so-jokes) about running again might be edging into serious territory.
Now, under the 22nd Amendment, a U.S. president can’t be elected more than twice. Pretty straightforward stuff. But Donald Trump? He’s never been one to play by the expected rulebook. In March, he told NBC’s Kristen Welker that he wasn’t joking about a third term and hinted there are “methods” to make it happen. One idea tossed around? VP JD Vance runs in 2028 with Trump as his second-in-command, then steps down once elected—handing the keys to the White House back to Trump. Sneaky? Maybe. Legal? Eh… pretty questionable, since the 12th Amendment says if you can’t be president, you can’t be VP either.
Still, the idea has some traction. A new SurveyUSA poll shows that while only 21% of Americans think Trump is eligible for a third term, a solid 49% of MAGA Republicans say he absolutely can run again. The Constitution might disagree, but that hasn’t stopped speculation.
Steve Bannon, Trump’s former strategist and all-around provocateur, told Bill Maher earlier this month that he’s got a whole team looking into ways to “get around” the two-term limit. Details? None yet. But Bannon’s long claimed that since Trump’s terms wouldn’t be consecutive, maybe there’s a loophole.
Meanwhile, Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee is trying to make it all official. Back in January, he introduced a resolution to tweak the 22nd Amendment, upping the limit to three terms—but only if they aren’t back-to-back. It’s basically a direct shot at letting Trump give it one more go.
And sure, some critics call the whole thing a political stunt or constitutional longshot, but clearly, the 2028 dream (or nightmare, depending on who you ask) isn’t going away. The hats are already here—and that’s usually where Trump-world starts turning an idea into a movement.
