Posted on 04/25/2025 10:33:54 AM PDT by Twotone
The president has previously said he was looking into serving a third term.
Democrats and others on the left melted down on Thursday after the official website for President Donald Trump began selling merchandise for a possible 2028 campaign.
The president is prohibited by the Constitution from being president more than two four-year terms because of the 22nd Amendment. Trump's allies have hinted that his supporters may mount a campaign to undo the rule in order to allow him to serve for a third term.
One shirt reads "TRUMP 2028" with the text "(Rewrite the Rules)" and sells for $36. The president's son Eric Trump posted a link to the store on his official social media account. A red 2028 hat sold for $50.
Democrats pounced on the news to criticize Trump.
"Trump’s organization is out here selling Trump 2028 hats like the Constitution is just a suggestion. Reminder: The 22nd Amendment exists. You can’t run for a third term," responded Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas.
"Everyone will say Trump is just joking. Or that he is trolling. That may be true. But with each 'joke' it becomes more and more serious until we’re actually confronting a man that feels emboldened to try to run for a thirdterm," replied Jessica Tarlov, a liberal commentator on Fox News.
"So Americans are just gonna sit idly by and let a dictator take control? actual spineless country," said another detractor.
"Soft launching a fascist dictatorship is insane," read another critic's missive.
Others countered that Democrats could renominate former President Barack Obama to run for a third term if Trump followed through on his threat.
"If Trump wants to run for a thirdterm, President Obama should consider coming out of retirement and doing the same. Obama would win 50/50 states and completely humiliate the Trump family," replied liberal activist Harry Sisson.
The president said in March that he was seriously looking into the possibility of a third term, but many believed he was merely trolling his opponents on the left. In January, a Republican congressman proposed an amendment to allow Trump a third term, despite his only being in office for four days at that time.
The two-term tradition was set by George Washington, the country's first president, but was enshrined into law after Franklin Delano Roosevelt defied the custom and was elected to serve an unprecedented four terms, although his fourth term was cut short by his death.
We have term limits.
They’re called elections.
What we need is to secure our elections and then vote accordingly.
Humor is the best attack. It is irrational and cannot be argued against. LOL
Didn’t they try to manipulate a “third term” for Obama? Clinton?
Isn’t the intention of amendments a major issue?
The intent of the 22nd amendment is to limit a president to two terms in office.
Searching for loopholes tries to disregard the intent.
Consider debates about the 14th amendment and birthright citizenship. The intent of the amendment was to give citizenship to former slaves. It was not the intent to give citizenship to children of illegal aliens. We argue all the time on Free Republic, that giving citizenship to aliens children violates the intent of the amendment.
So then, if the intent of an amendment is supposed to be the key criterion to judge what the legalities are, clearly the 22nd amendment would bar someone from serving a 3rd term.
It depends on people’s criteria for judging what our laws and amendments mean, what the intent was, etc.
Bookmark for 12/22 amendments
If that's more important to you than turning off swing voters, go for it.
I don't remember that. Can you be more specific?
The problem isn't Democrats -- the problem are swing voters who may swing back the other way at the midterms. And I've yet to meet anyone other than a hardcore Trump supporter who thinks this is actually funny.
If you don't care who you alienate for the midterms, it's fine. I just think a chuckle isn't worth the risk of losing voters. Especially with Congress as closely divided as it is.
I think it is a lame duck Presidency diversion.
szweig wrote: “That said, I’m ordering my Trump 2028 hat today!!”
About $25 on amazon.
Just change the Term to be 10 years.
I’m still waiting for the Demonratcommieblmantifaterrorscumfeminaziguanopathicpedophilegoatrapers to claim that President Donald J. Trump is not the current President because He won 2020. But if they do that then they will be admitting that they stole it !!!
Obama already served two consecutive terms.
If the Democrats can take a joke, then Trump will stop trolling. But we know that you can't joke around with the Bolsheviks.
Melania ???
Then My stepdaughter could vote for her based on “She’s a Woman and I will vote for her just because of that.” Like I heard from her this last Election.
And if You have a Dog get a Trump Dog Sweater to go with Your hat on the walk.
Trumps are a BIG family.
I’m good with Any of the Trumps.
Only way Trump could run in 28 is for him to resign a bit short of two years and serve as VP for Vance or just hold rallies on the sidelines.
You can run and win the presidency more than 2 times but you cannot serve more than 10 years in any case.
Similar to a VP who has to assume the office and serve out a term of less than 2 years, he can run again, twice... but only once if his short term was over 2 years.
The issue is that hardcore Democrats are not the only people you are trolling. I personally know swing voters who voted for Trump over Harris who are really upset about this. Now maybe the argument is they shouldn't be upset, or screw them if they can't take a joke, etc.
But the reality is they vote, and whether they're voting for a reason we believe is good or not, their votes count. And in fact, their votes are the ones that swing elections.
That's why I don't understand why anyone who really cares what happens to this country would risk alienating critical voters just because antagonizing those voters makes you laugh.
“Shall not be infringed” is ignored in the constitution, why can’t we ignore “two terms”?
Who are we to say what “two” is anyway?
Trump need only identify as a new candidate.
“Plain text of the law” never stopped leftists.
Trump should run and let things play out in the courts, and then ignore the court in the end, just like Biden did.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.