Donald Trump once again delivered his favorite joke this Wednesday during a rally in Marietta, Georgia: as he took the microphone in front of thousands of supporters, the President of the United States started his speech with a phrase that sparked an immediate ovation.
"I'm here to announce my candidacy... Just kidding," Trump said at the beginning of the event, held at Wheeler High School. The moment was captured on video and widely shared on social media.
The leader, aged 80 years, is in his second presidential term, and the Constitution legally prohibits him from seeking a third. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, states that no person can be elected president more than twice. Trump already governed from 2017 to 2021 and is currently serving his second term.
Modifying that amendment would require the approval of two-thirds of Congress and the ratification of three-quarters of the states, a process deemed virtually unattainable.
Despite the constitutional prohibition, Trump has turned the issue into a recurring resource for his base. In March 2025, he stated that "many people" were asking him to continue in office beyond 2029, and in April of that year, he went so far as to declare that there were "legal methods" to attempt it, without specifying them.
In October 2025, he acknowledged that the amendment prevented him from running and described it as "a shame."
The event in Georgia had the official purpose of promoting the so-called "Trump Accounts," investment accounts for children created under the tax law approved by Republicans, as well as addressing issues of affordability and education.
However, the event turned into a campaign rally in anticipation of the 2026 midterm elections, featuring gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson and Senate candidate Mike Collins.
In parallel to his jokes about a third term, Trump has been building the narrative of his succession. On several occasions, he has pointed to Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as his favorites for 2028, describing them at one point as a potential “perfect ticket” for the Republican nomination .
According to EFE, both Vance and Rubio are well positioned in polls for a future Republican presidential candidacy, with Vance being the immediate favorite to lead the party's ticket in 2028.
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