Donald Trump again heated the subject of his future, and in the background the question of his departure from office returns. In practice, the current term ends on 20 January 2029, but Trump himself increasingly flirts with the vision of staying in politics longer than the constitution allows.
In recent statements, Trump suggested that he could be associated with the White House longer than the calendar of one term.
It's not the first time Trump has tested the boundaries of this subject. His comments about "one more time" and gadgets with the slogan "Trump 2028" had already appeared, which drove speculation about plans beyond 2029.
What the law says
The Constitution of the United States is quite clear here. 22. Amendment states that no one can be elected president more than twice, and according to Reuters and the USA Today the possible change of this restriction would be extremely difficult politically and legally.
In practice, this means that Trump's current term of office ends on 20 January 2029 unless something extraordinary happens, such as death or removal from office, after which Vice President JD Vance would take over.
Why is this topic coming back?
Trump knows that such declarations act as fuel for his electorate. For some it is a signal of strength and dominance, for others an attempt to blur the boundaries between a political spectacle and a real plan.
In recent months Reuters has also described Trump considering his potential successors in 2028, listing JD Vance and Marco Rubio. This suggests that the Republican camp is already thinking about the Trump era, even if the President himself does not like the subject.
