By Sama Marwan,
U.S. President Donald Trump told American troops stationed in Qatar that he “might have to think” about running for a fourth presidential term, despite the U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibiting it.
Trump, now 78 years old, made his latest hint about seeking the Republican nomination again in 2028 during a speech at Al-Udeid Air Base in Doha. When asked about the possibility of a third term, he said:
“Some people want us to run for a fourth term… I don’t know… we have to think about it.”
According to The Independent, Trump is currently on his first major overseas trip during his second term in office, spending three days between Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. The trip sparked controversy even before it began, after Trump accepted a $400 million Boeing jet as a gift from the Qatari royal family.
Constitutional Limits
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits presidents to two terms. This restriction, meant to guard against authoritarian rule, clearly states that the Commander-in-Chief cannot serve more than two terms or a total of eight years, whether consecutive or non-consecutive.
The amendment says:
“No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, 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 once.”
Democrats in Congress have proposed legislation to clarify that the 22nd Amendment explicitly bars any third term in office. While Trump has sometimes acknowledged these legal barriers, he continues to tease the idea publicly.
In a recent NBC interview, Trump hinted again at the possibility of running beyond two terms, saying:
“I’m not joking about the idea… a lot of people want me to do it. But I simply tell them: we have a long road ahead. We’re still in the early stages of this administration, and I’m focused on the current term.”
