Table of Contents
- Bannon’s Explosive Third-Term Claim
- The 22nd Amendment: Can It Be Circumvented?
- Trump’s Longstanding Flirtation with a Third Term
- Steve Bannon’s Role in Trump’s Inner Orbit
- How Republicans Are Reacting
- What Happens Next?
- Sources
Bannon’s Explosive Third-Term Claim
In a stunning interview with The Economist, former Trump strategist Steve Bannon declared there is “a plan” for President Donald Trump to run for a third term in 2028—despite the clear constitutional ban on such a move.
“Trump is going to be president in ’28, and people ought to just get accommodated with that,” Bannon said, adding cryptically, “At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is. But there is a plan.”
He went even further, describing Trump as an “instrument of divine will”—language that echoes monarchist rhetoric and has raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.
The 22nd Amendment: Can It Be Circumvented?
The U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four-term presidency, explicitly states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
Legal scholars overwhelmingly agree this is a hard limit—regardless of whether the terms are consecutive. Yet Bannon’s remarks suggest a fringe but growing belief among some Trump allies that constitutional norms are negotiable.
No formal legal strategy has been revealed, and experts say any attempt to bypass the amendment would require either a constitutional convention or a Supreme Court reinterpretation—both considered highly improbable under current law.
Trump’s Longstanding Flirtation with a Third Term
This isn’t the first time Trump has teased a third term. As far back as 2019, he shared a doctored Time magazine cover showing fake campaign signs for 2024, 2028, 2032—and beyond.
On October 20, 2025, he reposted that video alongside satirical clips of himself as a king, even showing him dumping brown liquid on protesters holding “No Kings” signs—a move critics called authoritarian theater.
Yet Trump has also sent mixed signals. On Election Day 2024, when asked by a New York Times reporter if that campaign would be his last, he replied, “I would think so.” Analysts suggest his third-term talk may be less about genuine intent and more about avoiding “lame-duck” status during his second term.
Steve Bannon’s Role in Trump’s Inner Orbit
Though Bannon hasn’t held an official role in the White House since 2017, he remains a powerful voice on the far right. Convicted in February 2025 for defrauding donors to a border wall fund, he still commands a massive podcast audience and influences MAGA loyalists.
He was instrumental in amplifying the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen—a narrative that culminated in the January 6 Capitol attack. His latest comments may signal an effort to reignite that base ahead of 2028.
Notably, Trump has a history of adopting once-fringe ideas from allies. He initially disavowed “Project 2025,” a hardline conservative policy blueprint, but later hired its architect, Russell T. Vought, to lead the Office of Management and Budget—and even bragged about it.
How Republicans Are Reacting
Most mainstream Republicans have dismissed Bannon’s claim as fantasy. “The Constitution is clear,” said one senior GOP senator who asked not to be named. “This isn’t a monarchy.”
White House aides have reportedly mocked journalists for taking Trump’s third-term musings seriously. Still, the idea resonates with a segment of Trump’s base that views him as irreplaceable.
What Happens Next?
While no legal or legislative effort to repeal or reinterpret the 22nd Amendment is underway, Bannon’s comments could foreshadow a broader campaign to normalize the idea. Whether Trump himself endorses it publicly—or distances himself—will be closely watched.
For now, the “plan” remains vague, theatrical, and constitutionally dubious. But in the Trump era, even the improbable often finds its way into the political conversation.
Sources
The New York Times – “Bannon Claims ‘There Is a Plan’ for Trump to Run for a Third Term”
