Trump Hints at Running for Third Term in 2028 During White House Correspondents’ Dinner

President Donald Trump has once again stirred political speculation by joking about running for a fourth term, wearing a red “Trump 2028” cap at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on July 24.

Near the end of his speech at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., Trump put on the cap and declared, “I’m pleased to announce my intention—this is an exclusive scoop—I plan to run for a fourth term as President of the United States, and I will do it.” He added, “It should be easy; I’m getting better at running for president every time.”

The dinner had been originally scheduled for April 25 but was postponed due to an attack.

The event provided a stage for Trump to repeat his false claim that he actually won the 2020 election, a statement that media outlets were quick to fact-check.

Under the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a president may be elected to no more than two terms.

Trump is currently serving his second—and constitutionally permitted final—term, making him theoretically ineligible to run again.

This is not the first time Trump has raised the possibility of extending his time in office. Earlier this year, he was asked whether there was “any possible” scenario where he would still be president on January 21, 2029.

He responded coyly, saying, “I don’t know, but it’s interesting. But if I give you the answer you’re expecting, wouldn’t that be too boring? That would be too dull, and life would lose a lot of its fun.”

Trump then pivoted to his familiar mission statement, adding, “I do all of this for one purpose: to make America great again. And we are moving toward that goal right now.”

Despite his hints, Trump has also sent mixed signals. In November of last year, he claimed he had not even considered running again, only to re-open the possibility in January.

The conversation around Trump’s future has inevitably turned to his potential successor within the Republican Party.

Trump has previously promoted the pairing of Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a “unbeatable” ticket for 2028.

White House insiders have noted that Vance’s recent high-profile diplomatic and media engagements have solidified his position as the heir apparent, with one senior aide noting, “JD deserves that spot, and the president sees it that way.”

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Rubio does not plan to run, with an associate close to him saying, “He doesn’t have a core team, and Vance does.”

The president’s remarks come at a challenging political moment. Recent polling shows his overall approval rating at 37%, with 61% disapproving of his performance.

The same polls indicate deep public pessimism regarding his handling of the Iran conflict and the economy.