Donald Trump joked that he could run for president again in 2028 during the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Association Dinner [1, 2].
The comments sparked a renewed public debate over the constitutional limits of presidential power and the legal feasibility of a candidate serving more than two terms.
Speaking at the event in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 2026, Trump used the platform to taunt the media and Democratic opponents [1, 2]. During his speech, he referenced the restrictions on his eligibility for future elections. "I’m not allowed to run for a third term, too bad," Trump said [3].
While acknowledging the legal barrier, Trump also made a more expansive joke regarding his future. "I might run for a fourth term," Trump said [2]. These comments highlight the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which explicitly limits the number of times a person can hold the office of the president [4].
According to the 22nd Amendment, no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice, and no person who has held the office shall be elected again [4]. This constitutional mandate serves as the primary legal hurdle for any former president seeking a third term in 2028 [1, 4].
Not all political figures viewed the comments as a serious ambition. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) addressed the rhetoric later that year. "I don’t think Donald Trump wants another election," Newsom said [1].
The event served as a venue for Trump to navigate the tension between his personal ambitions and the legal framework of the U.S. government. By framing the possibility of a third or fourth term as a joke, he managed to bring the 22nd Amendment into the conversation while maintaining a level of plausible deniability regarding his actual intentions [2, 3].
“"I’m not allowed to run for a third term, too bad."”
The interaction underscores a recurring tension between Trump's rhetorical style and the strictures of the U.S. Constitution. While the 22nd Amendment provides a clear legal barrier to a third term, the act of joking about it serves to test public and political reactions to the idea of extended executive tenure.
