Young Republicans call for Trump 2028 run despite constitutional two-term limit; critics cry treason
A video showing members of the New York Young Republican Club advocating for Donald Trump to seek a third presidential term in 2028 has sparked fierce backlash, with critics highlighting that the US Constitution bars such a move explicitly.The footage, reportedly from a closed-door event and shared on TikTok, captures speakers calling for another Trump presidency while a crowd applauds. The proposal directly contradicts the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits any person from being elected president more than twice.Constitutional Reality CheckThe 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution is unequivocal: no person can be elected president more than twice. It was ratified in 1951 after Franklin D Roosevelt won four terms, and there is no way around it without a massive constitutional amendment process requiring approval from two-thirds of both chambers of Congress plus three-quarters of all state legislatures.Rick Hasen, a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles, stated there is 'no way legally for Trump to serve a third term'. Hasen added that he does not expect Trump to actually run, and thinks this talk is meant to stop people from treating Trump as a lame duck president.Yet this has not stopped Trump allies from floating the idea. Steve Bannon, Trump's former adviser, told The Economist earlier this year that Trump is 'going to get a third term' and that 'people just ought to get accommodated with that'. At the New York Young Republican Club's December gala, the idea was apparently endorsed openly.Online Backlash and DisbeliefThe reaction on social media has been swift and critical. 'Young republicans directly calling for treason was probably on my 2025 bingo card', one user wrote. Another pointed out the obvious: 'Literally against the law'. Loads of comments questioned whether Trump would even be alive by 2028, given that he would be 82 by Election Day.The irony was not lost on critics. 'So much for the Constitution?' one person wrote, while another added, 'Republicans: "WE DONT HAVE KINGS!!!!" Also republicans: Constitution, what Constitution?' Many pointed out that Republicans often position themselves as 'constitutionalists'—except when it does not suit their political aims.Club's History of ControversyThe New York Young Republican Club isn't exactly known for staying out of controversy. Under recent leadership, it has moved sharply to the right. At the club's 2022 gala, outgoing Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene told attendees that if she and Steve Bannon had organised the 6 January Capitol attack, 'we would have won' and 'it would have been armed'.Just this weekend, the club's 113th annual gala drew criticism after several elected officials who'd been advertised as attending failed to show up. According to DNYUZ, the event featured a protester wearing a Nazi armband who disrupted proceedings.Trump's Ambiguous StanceTrump himself has sent mixed signals. In an interview with NBC News' Meet the Press in May, he said, 'I'll be an eight-year president; I'll be a two-term president', acknowledging it's something 'you're not allowed to do'. Trump said he's looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody, ideally a great Republican.But he's also repeatedly flirted with the idea. Back in March, he told NBC he was 'not joking' about considering a third run. The Trump Organisation has even sold 'Trump 2028' merchandise, including hats for £37 ($50) that say 'Rewrite the Rules'.
The Political Strategy Behind Third-Term TalkThe reality is that Trump is constitutionally barred from running again, full stop. Republicans don't have anywhere near the supermajorities needed in Congress or state legislatures to amend the Constitution, and Democrats certainly aren't going to help.But the talk serves a purpose. Keeping the 2028 speculation alive helps Trump maintain his grip on the Republican Party and prevents him from becoming a lame duck. It also freezes the potential 2028 GOP field, as other contenders are reluctant to start openly campaigning while Trump's future remains uncertain.After Franklin D Roosevelt won four terms and died in office in 1945, both parties recognised the danger of presidents serving indefinitely. The 22nd Amendment was proposed by a Republican-controlled Congress in 1947 and ratified in 1951. It is one of the fundamental checks on executive power that defines American democracy.
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