A spike in social media attention surrounding Barack Obama running for president in 2028 has erupted after President Donald Trump made statements about completing a third presidential term — though he’d be constitutionally barred.
Trump’s remarks have ignited some debates over term limits, with some online users ironically speculating about a future White House bid by Barack Obama.
Why It Matters
Trump’s suggestion of a third term underscores broader discussions around constitutional limits. The notion would require repealing or amending the 22nd Amendment—a move that would upend years of presidential tradition.
The hashtag #Obama2028 spread on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday morning, amid jokes, memes, and speculative commentary about a hypothetical return of the 44th president.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
What Has Donald Trump Said About a Third Term
The trend emerged after Trump appeared to test the political waters regarding an extension of presidential eligibility.
Trump was asked directly about a third term in a phone interview with NBC News on Sunday, March 30.
“A lot of people want me to do it,” Trump said. “But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.”
Trump said further that he likes “working” and that he’s “not joking” about a possible third term.
“But I’m not—it is far too early to think about it… There are methods which you could do it,” he said.
In an April 2024 interview with Time Magazine, Trump said he would not be in favor of changing the 22nd Amendment: “I wouldn’t be in favor of it at all. I intend to serve four years and do a great job. And I want to bring our country back. I want to put it back on the right track,” he said at the time.
Trump has not formally proposed pursuing a third term, though he has joked about it in the past.
The idea gained additional attention in right-wing circles after Republican Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles in January proposed changing the Constitution to allow Trump to serve a third term in office. The proposal would alter the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment and included language that would specifically prohibit Obama from seeking another term.
Further, former Trump administration official Steve Bannon had suggested in an interview with NewsNation that he believes Trump will run in 2028.
Why Was ‘Obama2028’ Trending on X?
The phrase “Obama 2028” began trending as users reacted to the Trump-centered third-term discussions by invoking the possibility—real or imagined—of Barack Obama returning to office.
Much of the conversation was satirical or speculative, with users joking that if the Constitution were changed, Obama might be a more broadly appealing third-term candidate than Trump.
“It’d be a darn shame if #Obama2028 started trending today,” one user tweeted on March 30.
Other users criticized the trend: “Is #Obama2028 seriously trending? Have you fools not learned anything?”
Despite the trend, there is no indication that Obama has any interest in seeking elected office again.
Could Barack Obama Theoretically Run for President in 2028?
As it stands, the U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, prohibits any individual from being elected president more than twice. Obama has already served two terms, so as per the current U.S. Constitution, he is not eligible to run for president again.
For Obama to legally run in 2028, the 22nd Amendment would have to be repealed—a process that would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of U.S. state legislatures.
