New Delhi: Donald Trump on Friday revived his long-running rhetoric about extending his time in the White House, saying that he would seek a “fourth term” as president. He also repeated the claim that he won the 2020 election.
Speaking at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, Trump told a ballroom full of journalists that he had a “scoop” for them.
“I’m pleased to announce my intention to, and this is somewhat of a scoop, my intention to run for a fourth term as president of the United States,“ he said.
He then put on a red “Trump 2028” cap.
Although Trump later said he was “only kidding”, he also repeated his longstanding assertion that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged”.
“I’m getting very good at running for president. I won three times, now I’m going to do it again. I won three times. Did very well the second time, by the way. Rigged election,“ he added.
The remarks are the latest in a series of comments in which Trump has flirted with the idea of remaining in office beyond the two-term limit set by the US constitution.
Since returning to the White House after his 2024 election victory, Trump has repeatedly hinted at serving beyond a second elected term. In March 2025, he told NBC News that “a lot of people” wanted him to seek another term and said there were “methods” through which it could happen, insisting he was “not joking”. Around the same time, merchandise bearing the slogan “Trump 2028” appeared in his official online store.
What is the 22nd Amendment?
While Trump later suggested he intended to serve only two terms and named Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential successors, he has continued to make periodic remarks about extending his presidency. In recent months, he has joked about remaining in office for “eight or nine years”. The US president also described himself as serving a “third term” during a July speech marking America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Under the 22nd Amendment to the US constitution, ratified in 1951, no person can be elected president more than twice. The amendment was adopted in the aftermath of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidency. Roosevelt remains the only US president elected to four terms, winning elections in 1932, 1936, 1940, and 1944 before dying in office during his fourth term in April 1945. His unprecedented tenure prompted lawmakers to formally impose presidential term limits, making a third elected term constitutionally impermissible.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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