According to President Donald Trump, “a lot of people” want him to run for a third term, but I’m not so sure. 

When I was nine, I discovered politics. Although it was a unique pastime for a third grader, I found myself deeply invested in the outcome of the 2016 election. I watched the debates, engaged in discourse during bus rides to school, and stayed up late on election night as the results rolled in. 

I was devastated by the results. I thought I was seeing a day when a woman would hold the most esteemed office in American politics. I felt powerless as someone who couldn’t vote. I remember doing the math and figuring out which presidential election I could vote in for the first time. I came to the almost mythical-sounding year: 2028. 

Now, we are just past the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, and he’s already musing about the possibility of running for a third term, a statement that directly conflicts with the 22nd Amendment, which states that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” 

The 22nd Amendment was implemented after Franklin Delano Roosevelt broke the time-honored precedent of two terms per president that had been in place since George Washington’s presidency, and was elected four times.

Trump’s official store is selling “Trump 2028” hats, meaning that Trump is officially profiting off the idea of going against the Constitution, which is not a very presidential act, if you ask me. As much as I would like to believe that Donald Trump is not serious about a third term, I find myself worrying about what casting my ballot in 2028 will look like.  

Trump’s strategy for manipulation and getting his way features repeating false statements enough times until they “become true.” So, while I want to ignore Trump’s statements, I find myself narrowing my attention because we’ve all seen this film before. Trump on the ballot in 2028 is a very possible reality, which should scare anyone who cares about democracy. 

To Trump, a third term represents a lot more than not wanting to retire or caring for our country. Trump views himself as a king, which was made quite clear by the official White House social media accounts posting an AI portrait of Trump with a crown and a caption that read “Long Live the King.” The United States does not have a monarchy. Trump is not king. This subliminal messaging, when coupled with Trump’s third-term musings, is extremely disturbing.

If you’re a future voter like me, you might also be worried about the 2028 election. So, what should we do? We can educate ourselves and speak out whenever we can. This is not the time to put our heads in the sand and hope for the best. We must be diligent. We should be mindful of the media we consume and inform ourselves on all sides of political debates. 

The most important thing we can do as citizens is to stand in the face of tyranny.