A series of actions and statements by U.S. President Donald Trump have fueled growing fears that he plans to remain in power beyond his constitutional term limit.
Mounting evidence suggests that U.S. President Donald Trump intends to remain in office beyond the legal end of his term in 2029, sparking concerns about a potential constitutional crisis.
Despite repeatedly claiming he is “not a king or a dictator,” Trump has made remarks and policy moves hinting at his desire to extend his presidency. He has reportedly distributed “Trump 2028” hats to Republican lawmakers and floated the idea of staying in the White House beyond his second term.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in August, Trump joked about using a war to suspend the 2028 election. “If we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections? Oh, I wonder what the fake news would say,” he remarked.
Trump continues to undermine public confidence in the U.S. electoral process by insisting, without evidence, that the 2020 election was stolen. He has also demanded $230 million in damages from the Justice Department for “malicious” prosecutions and ordered several Republican-led states to redraw electoral maps to solidify party control.
Legal experts warn that his growing use of federal agencies and the military under the guise of “crime crackdowns” could lead to voter intimidation ahead of the 2026 midterms. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker cautioned that Trump’s policies “blur the lines between civilian elections and military control.”
Trump has further remodeled parts of the White House to mirror his Mar-a-Lago resort—a project expected to extend beyond his term—and pardoned hundreds of participants in the January 6 Capitol riot.
Observers say the pattern of behavior mirrors his previous attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. “We won this election, and we won it by a landslide,” Trump once said. “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”