3 Explosive Claims: Steve Bannon Says Trump Will Serve a Third Term in 2028 — calls him an “Instrument of Divine Will.” In a bold and controversial statement, former White House strategist and right-wing media figure Steve Bannon has claimed that Donald Trump will remain in power beyond 2028 — effectively serving a third term as U.S. President.
Bannon, a key architect of Trump’s 2016 campaign and one of the most influential figures in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, made the comments during an interview on October 23, 2025, insisting that there is a “plan” in place to make it happen despite constitutional limits.
3 Explosive Claims: Steve Bannon Says Trump Will Serve a Third Term in 2028
‘Trump Will Be President in 2028’: Bannon’s Explosive Claim
During a recent interview in Washington D.C. with The Economist’s Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes and Deputy Editor Ed Carr, Bannon confidently asserted that Trump’s political future extends far beyond his current second term.
“Trump is gonna be president in ’28, and people just sort of [need to] get accommodated with that,” Bannon said.
When pressed about the 22nd Amendment, which explicitly restricts U.S. presidents to two terms in office, Bannon remained defiant.
“There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is, but there’s a plan,” he added, refusing to elaborate on how such a move would be legally possible.
The comments have reignited political and legal debates across Washington — and stirred concerns about the future of U.S. democracy under Trump’s influence.
‘Instrument of Divine Will’: Trump as a Chosen Leader
Bannon went further, describing Trump in quasi-religious terms, calling him an “instrument of divine will.”
“He’s not perfect. He’s not churchy, not particularly religious, but he’s an instrument of divine will,” Bannon said. “And you could tell this by how he’s been able to pull this off. We need him for at least one more term, right? And he’ll get that in 2028.”
The former strategist suggested that Trump’s political career and survival through multiple scandals were signs of divine providence, framing his leadership as something ordained or destined.
Bannon concluded,
“We had longer odds in 2016 and longer odds in 2024 than we’ve got in 2028. We have to finish what we started.”
Trump’s Own Hints About a Third Term
This is not the first time Donald Trump himself has teased the possibility of extending his presidency.
In March 2025, Trump told NBC News there were “methods” to make a third term happen, emphasizing that he was “not joking.”
“A lot of people want me to do it,” he said. “But I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration. I’m focused on the current.”
Trump also began selling “Trump 2028” hats and memorabilia, a move many saw as either trolling his critics or testing public reaction to the idea.
What the U.S. Constitution Says
Under the Twenty-Second Amendment, adopted in 1951, no person may be elected president more than twice.
The amendment clearly states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice…”
This rule was designed to prevent a president from holding power indefinitely — a response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four consecutive terms during the 1930s and 1940s.
Constitutional scholars agree that there is no legal pathway for Trump or any other U.S. president to serve a third term without a constitutional amendment — a process that would require massive political consensus in both Congress and state legislatures, making it virtually impossible.
Theories on How Trump Could “Stay in Power”
Despite the constitutional roadblocks, several hypothetical loopholes have been discussed by Trump’s supporters:
1. Constitutional Amendment
Amending the U.S. Constitution to allow more than two presidential terms would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states — an extraordinarily difficult task in today’s polarized climate.
2. The ‘VP Resignation’ Scenario
Some supporters have floated a Vice President scenario, in which JD Vance could win the 2028 election and then resign, allowing Trump to retake office through the line of succession.
However, legal scholars like Brian Kalt of Michigan State University have dismissed such ideas as “fantasy law.”
“That talk never was all that serious,” Kalt told NPR. “But in a situation where a president is more popular than the Constitution itself, people will look for any loophole they can.”
3. Wartime Election Suspension Theory
Others have speculated that Trump could attempt to delay or suspend elections during a declared national emergency or war — a claim also dismissed by experts as unconstitutional.
“There is no wiggle room on the 22nd Amendment,” said William Baude, head of the Constitutional Law Institute at the University of Chicago.
Critics Warn of “Authoritarian Drift”
Critics and political analysts have interpreted Bannon’s statements as part of a broader effort to normalize authoritarian rhetoric.
Commentators noted that Bannon’s language — referencing divine will and destiny — mirrors how autocratic leaders are often portrayed in personality cults.
“You should take Trump and his administration’s repeated teases about not stepping down very seriously,” one political columnist wrote. “He tells you exactly what he’s going to do, and then he does it.”
For some observers, the idea of a “Trump 2028” campaign signals not just political ambition but a test of American constitutional resilience.
CNN Confrontation: ‘Would You Support a Third Term?’
The debate reached mainstream media on CNN NewsNight, when host Abby Phillip pressed Republican strategist Scott Jennings on whether he would support Trump serving a third term.
Phillip referenced Bannon’s latest comments, saying:
“Why do you think Steve Bannon keeps saying this? And that Trump keeps putting the ‘2028’ hat on the desk and all that?”
Jennings replied that Trump was “trolling his opponents,” adding,
“Bannon, I don’t know. Maybe he believes this. Maybe he doesn’t. But I know what the Constitution says, and I know what the Supreme Court would do about it. So I don’t think this is serious.”
When asked directly if he would back a third term, Jennings was firm:
“I’m long on the record of opposing violating the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.”
Bannon’s Influence and the “Finish What We Started” Rhetoric
Steve Bannon remains one of the most influential ideologues in Trump’s political orbit — even after being fired from the White House in 2017.
Despite legal troubles and convictions, Bannon has continued to mobilize MAGA supporters through his media network and rallies, framing Trump’s presidency as a spiritual and political movement rather than a mere administration.
The phrase “finish what we started” has become a rallying cry among Trump’s base, suggesting that the former president’s mission — from reshaping the judiciary to dismantling “deep state” institutions — remains incomplete.
Bannon has openly described Trump’s movement as a “revolution against the global elite”, and his claim that Trump will return in 2028 is seen by many as propaganda to energize MAGA voters ahead of the next election cycle.
Constitutional Experts Sound Alarm
Legal scholars across the spectrum have dismissed the notion of a third Trump term as unconstitutional and dangerous.
“There’s no serious argument that can overcome the 22nd Amendment,” said Justin Levitt, a constitutional law professor at Loyola Marymount University. “If Trump announced he’s canceling elections, it would have as much power as me announcing it — none.”
Still, some worry that the repeated rhetoric about extending Trump’s presidency could erode trust in democratic norms and embolden supporters who already believe U.S. institutions are illegitimate.
Trump’s History of Testing Boundaries
Throughout his political career, Trump has repeatedly tested the limits of presidential norms — from challenging election results to questioning judicial authority.
In 2020, he refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power. In 2024, his campaign floated ideas about “delaying” elections amid civil unrest, though none were enacted.
Now, with Bannon’s latest remarks, many fear that the Trump 2028 movement could evolve into a real challenge to constitutional order, depending on how seriously it is pursued.
Reactions From the Public and Political Circles
Bannon’s statements quickly went viral on social media, drawing sharp responses from both Trump supporters and critics.
- MAGA supporters hailed the idea as “patriotic” and called Trump “the only man who can save America.”
- Democrats and moderates labeled it an “open threat to democracy.”
- Constitutional experts reiterated that no legal path exists for a third term.
The White House has not officially commented on Bannon’s remarks.
‘Trump 2028’: Joke or Real Agenda?
While some analysts believe the “Trump 2028” talk is merely political theater, others argue it’s part of a strategic conditioning effort — normalizing the idea before it’s ever tested.
Trump himself has been ambiguous, often saying he is “just joking” while simultaneously hinting that “the people want it.”
As with many of Trump’s political moves, the line between performance and intention remains blurry.
The Bottom Line
Steve Bannon’s assertion that Donald Trump will be president again in 2028 has reignited a fierce debate about constitutional limits, democratic norms, and the cult of personality surrounding the former president.
While legal experts unanimously agree that the 22nd Amendment blocks any possibility of a third term, Bannon’s comments reflect a deepening political narrative within the MAGA movement — one that views Trump not just as a political leader but as a symbolic, almost divine figure destined to “finish what he started.”
Whether the “plan” Bannon hints at is a serious strategy or political bravado, it underscores one thing: the Trump era’s defiance of norms is far from over.
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