§72 —
On 2028
Democrat
TWICE
The law. The 22nd Amendment, ratified February 27, 1951: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice" 1. In January 2025 a House member introduced a joint resolution to amend it; it was referred to the Judiciary Committee, and there has been no action since 2.
So the record stands like this. Not joking, in March. Not allowed, in October. Only kidding, in July. A fourth term, two days later. Very strong, in August. Five positions in seventeen months, one hat, and one amendment that has not changed a word since 1951. The hat costs $50. The amendment's word is twice.
Sources
Republican
2028
The hat went on sale at the Trump Store in April 2025, "Trump 2028," at $50 1. The words around it have come in a sequence. To NBC in March 2025: "No, no, I'm not joking ... There are methods which you could do it" 2. In July of this year, "I'm only kidding"; two days later, wearing the hat at the White House Correspondents' dinner, "my intention to run for a fourth term" 3.
And the answer on his side, in his own voice. On Air Force One in October 2025: "If you read it, it's pretty clear. I'm not allowed to run. It's too bad" 4. In August: "I'd love to run, but the law is very strong" 3. That is the defense: a man who says the law is clear and strong has said he will obey it, and a hat is a hat. What the law actually says is on the other side.
Sources
- The Trump Store listed a "Trump 2028" hat at $50 — ABC News, 24 April 2025 ↑
- "No, no, I'm not joking … There are methods which you could do it" — phone interview — NBC News, 30 March 2025 ↑
- "I'm only kidding" (22 July 2026); "my intention to run for a fourth term" (24 July 2026); "I'd love to run, but the law is very strong" (11 August 2026) — Roll Call, 19 August 2026 ↑
- "If you read it, it's pretty clear. I'm not allowed to run. It's too bad." — Air Force One, 29 October 2025 — PBS NewsHour ↑
“I keep a little card with the dates, because otherwise I'd lose track. March of last year: "No, no, I'm not joking… There are methods which you could do it." October: "I'm not allowed to run. It's too bad." July of this year, in Georgia: "I'm only kidding." Two days later, at the correspondents' dinner, in the hat: "my intention to run for a fourth term." August: "the law is very strong." I'm sorry, you've been very patient. Which of those five is the one the hat is selling?”— Lou
“He said he's not joking. Then he said he's only kidding. Then he wore the hat to a dinner and announced a fourth term. Then he said the law is very strong. The hat is fifty dollars at his own store. The Constitution's free, and the word it uses is "twice." You can buy the hat. You can't buy the amendment. Not for fifty dollars, anyway.”
“The hat is merchandise, the fourth term was a joke, the methods were hypothetical, and the law is very strong, which is exactly what you'd say about a law you've read very carefully to see how strong it is.”