Despite constitutional limits, Donald Trump is openly floating the idea of a 2028 campaign, sending a chilling effect through the Republican Party and freezing the ambitions of potential presidential contenders.
On the Trump Organization website, supporters can already buy “Trump 2028” hats for $50 and “Rewrite the Rules” T-shirts for $36 — merchandise that cheekily suggests the former president could find a way around the 22nd Amendment‘s two-term limit.
Though legally improbable, Trump’s hinting at a third term is enough to paralyze the 2028 GOP primary field.
“Don’t underestimate the degree to which he believes any Trump-centered noise is good because it starves his opponents,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told NBC News.
The Power of Uncertainty
Trump’s ongoing flirtation with a third term ensures that top Republicans — from Vice President JD Vance to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley — are hesitant to make any moves without his blessing.
Launching a campaign before Trump’s intentions are clear would risk alienating the powerful MAGA base.
“Trump is MAGA; MAGA is Trump,” said former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, underscoring why aspirants tread carefully.
Asa Hutchinson, who challenged Trump in 2024, pointed out that figures like Vance and DeSantis must wait: “They know they have to stay out of the mix until Donald Trump gives the blessing.”
Trump’s Delay Strategy
According to GOP insiders, Trump plans to delay announcing his future plans, maintaining political leverage and preventing himself from appearing like a lame duck.
The dynamic mirrors what happened with DeSantis, once a rising star, who saw his political momentum falter after challenging Trump in 2024.
Now, those eyeing 2028, like DeSantis — who faces term limits in 2027 — risk fading from relevance while waiting on Trump’s next move.
“The best way for putative candidates to stay on the right side of Trump is by buying into the idea he might run,” one Trump adviser said, referencing the surge in “Trump 2028” hat sales among insiders.
JD Vance’s Strategic Advantage
JD Vance, Trump’s loyal vice president, is uniquely positioned. As VP, he enjoys a taxpayer-funded platform to build foreign policy credentials — recently meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and even an audience with Pope Francis.
Moreover, Vance was named the RNC finance chairman, connecting him with top GOP donors.
Though Vance has not committed to a future campaign, he admitted: “If I do really well for the next four years, everything else will take care of itself.”
Insiders suggest he may reassess his political trajectory after the 2026 midterms.
Could Trump Legally Serve Again?
Trump floating a third term brings constitutional questions.
The clearest path — repealing the 22nd Amendment — is politically unfeasible in a deeply polarized nation.
More creative ideas have emerged, like Vance running in 2028 with Trump as his vice president. Should Vance step aside after winning, Trump could theoretically ascend to the presidency again.
Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at UPenn, noted that while this idea defies the spirit of the Constitution, it may not be explicitly barred by its text.
Still, Trump himself downplayed such “loophole” strategies in a recent Time Magazine interview, saying, “I don’t believe in using loopholes.”
Keeping Everyone Guessing
By keeping his political future ambiguous, Trump remains the gravitational center of the Republican Party.
Even Eric Trump recently posted a smiling photo wearing a “Trump 2028” hat, fueling the speculation further.
For now, one thing is clear: whether or not Trump 2028 becomes a legal reality, the mere possibility ensures the Republican Party remains frozen in his shadow.
