'Trump 2028' merch for sale at Trump store: Can president find a way to serve 3rd term?
President Donald Trump is considering serving more than two terms in the White House despite the U.S. Constitution barring him from doing so.
Although Trump has not revealed what methods he intends to use to secure a proposed third term, he did mention there are "some loopholes" that could make it possible.
"I'd rather not discuss that now, but as you know, there are some loopholes that have been discussed that are well known," Trump told Time magazine in an interview published on April 25. "But I don't believe in loopholes. I don't believe in using loopholes."
He also told NBC that JD Vance could run for president and give the role to him, according to USA TODAY.
As the president muses over the idea of an unconstitutional third term, "Trump 2028" merchandise has appeared on the online Trump store, including embroidered ball caps and T-shirts. The merch was released on the website on April 24.
Here's what the U.S. Constitution states about presidents seeking a third term and how much Trump's merch is selling for.
The Trump Store, operated by the Trump Organization ― the Trump family's company ― has listed various "Trump 2028" merchandise for sale. While the red ball caps ($50) set of two can coolers ($18), and T-shirts ($36) all feature the "Trump 2028" logo, the shirt also has the words "Rewrite the Rules" displayed underneath it in parenthesis.
The Trump campaign committee, which operate a different online store, also has a "Trump 2028" hat on its website, although it is not for sale (yet), according to USA TODAY.
During a live interview with Axios on April 25, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the merch was not an indicator that Trump is seeking a third term.
"It's just a hat," she said. "It's not something he's thinking of, though I hear the hats are flying off the shelves."
The 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, adopted after Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to the White House four times, prohibits presidents from serving more than two terms in the White House, including presidents like Trump who have served nonconsecutive terms:
"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of the 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," the amendment states.
The 22nd Amendment does not explicitly state that a two-term president cannot serve as a vice president. However, the 12th Amendment does state that "no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."
It is possible for a constitutional amendment to be changed, but it would require a two-thirds vote from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It would also need to be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures, per Yahoo! News.
GOP lawmaker Rep. Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, has voiced his approval of Trump running for a third term. In January, he proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow presidents who serve two terms to run again.
"President Trump's decisive leadership stands in stark contrast to the chaos, suffering, and economic decline Americans have endured over the past four years," Ogles said in a January 23 statement three days after Trump's inauguration. "He has proved himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation's decay and restoring America to greatness, and he must be given the time necessary to accomplish that goal."
Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Trump store selling 'Trump 2028' merch: US Constitution on 3rd term
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