Donald Trump suggests he will cling to power until at least 2032 with surprise remark
The 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution states that no one may be elected to the US presidency for a third term.
Donald Trump has raised questions about his future after appearing to suggest he might still be in power in 2032.
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Mr Trump appeared to hint at an extended leadership while addressing the US Coast Guard Academy's 145th graduating class at Cadet Memorial Field.
President Trump said the US has ordered 11 icebreaker ships, and is working with Finland to learn everything they can to eventually build the ships itself.
He said: "We're making, right now, currently under construction, we have 11. Beautiful.
"And I said, 'Come on, when's the first one coming?' They said, 'In 28'. I said, 'I'm going to be here in 28'.
"Maybe I'll be here in 32, too. I don't know. Maybe I will. But I'm going to be here in 28. And I'll tell you, I say, that's great, because I'm going to be there."
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Trump tells Coast Guard Cadets that he may illegally still be president in 2032.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) May 20, 2026
"I said come on when's the first one coming? They said in '28. I said I'm gonna be here in '28 maybe I'll be here in '32 too."
There is absolutely no excuse for this. This is about as unAmerican… pic.twitter.com/tzhq2mz4Zo
Mr Trump began his second term in 2025, meaning that, under rules restricting presidents to just two terms, he will pass the baton to someone else in 2029 at the latest.
However, he has repeatedly made suggestions that he may remain in power beyond the end of his second term - an idea that some of his fans have backed.
In October, Mr Trump announced he "would love" a third presidential term, but ruled out running for vice-president.
Mr Trump said that while he would "be allowed" to run for vice-president, he had no plans to do so.
He said: “I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute. Yeah, I would rule that out because it’s too cute. I think the people wouldn’t like that … It’s not – it wouldn’t be right."
Talking about the possibility of a third term, Mr Trump said he would "love to do it".
He said: "I haven't really thought about it. We have some very good people, as you know, but I have the best poll numbers I've ever had."
Last year, the Trump Organisation dropped hats and other merch promoting Trump 2028, fuelling speculation he might try to run in the 2028 election.
But others have suggested that the hats are just Mr Trump’s way of pushing buttons and testing the boundaries of acceptability.