Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has voiced his support for President Donald Trump to pursue a possible third term in 2028, despite constitutional limitations that prohibit such a candidacy.
In an interview with “NewsNation’s” Chris Cuomo, Bannon expressed his belief that Trump would aim for and win the presidency again in 2028, even though the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution restricts presidents to two terms.
“I’m a firm believer that President Trump will run and win again in 2028, so I’ve already endorsed President Trump,” Bannon told Cuomo. “A man like this comes along once every century, if we’re lucky. We’ve got him now.”
When questioned about the feasibility of this scenario given the constitutional term limits, Bannon mentioned that strategies are being developed to address these challenges.
On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Bannon suggested that efforts were underway and expressed optimism about presenting various options, noting that the definition of term limits remained uncertain.
Bannon further stated that while specific details could not yet be revealed, more information would be shared in the forthcoming months.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt served four terms as president, clearly states that no individual can be elected to the presidency more than twice. It also stipulates that anyone serving over two years of another’s term cannot be elected more than once.
Legal experts largely agree that bypassing this constitutional barrier would require either a new constitutional amendment or an unprecedented legal interpretation.
Trump has frequently hinted at the possibility of serving beyond the two-term limit. During a White House St. Patrick’s Day event with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump made remarks suggesting an extension of his tenure.
“Taoiseach, I want to just thank you once again for being here. It’s an honor, and hopefully we’re gonna be doing this at least three more times, OK,” Trump said during the event.
Some political analysts argue these statements may be more about maintaining political visibility than indicating actual plans for a third term. However, polling data suggests many Americans believe Trump may try to extend his stay in the White House. A YouGov poll released last month indicated that 52 percent of Americans think Trump will attempt to stay in office, with 21 percent saying “definitely” and 31 percent saying “probably.”
Efforts to create a pathway for Trump to serve a third term have started in Congress. In January, Representative Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, proposed a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve up to three terms.
The proposed amendment states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times, nor be elected to any additional term after being elected to two consecutive terms, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
Ogles argued that Trump “has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness, and he must be given the time necessary to accomplish that goal.”
Democrats have strongly opposed these initiatives. Representative Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York, introduced a resolution in February reaffirming the House’s support for the 22nd Amendment and explicitly stating that it “prohibits President Trump from running for President for another term.”
Political analysts have outlined several theoretical paths Trump might pursue to circumvent the two-term limit. These include attempting to repeal the 22nd Amendment, exploring potential loopholes by running for vice president and then ascending to the presidency, challenging the Constitution’s restrictions in court, or disregarding constitutional norms.
In his interview with Cuomo, Bannon compared the current situation to Trump’s return to office in 2024 after his 2020 defeat.
Bannon suggested the concept of Trump running in 2028 has been in development for years. He noted that more ambitious goals have been pursued in the past, and various related plans are currently in motion.
Bannon described the effort to organize and secure victory, as well as the subsequent work on policy development. Project 2025 and the America First Policy Institute, along with contributions from multiple think tanks, formulated the policies currently being implemented. Bannon referred to this approach as “flood the zone,” “Days of Thunder,” or similar terms.
Some Trump supporters have already started displaying “Trump 2028” stickers, notably at last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference, indicating grassroots enthusiasm for the concept despite the significant constitutional barriers.
Constitutional scholars maintain that amending the Constitution requires either a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress followed by ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures or a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures—both extremely high bars that make any change to presidential term limits highly improbable in the current political climate.