- By Supratik Das
- Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:12 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
US President Donald Trump, who is in his second term at the White House, has reignited fresh controversy with a new line of confidence-inspiring merchandise — red hats with the message "Trump 2028". The product, sold on the Trump Organization website at 50 USD, comes as approval ratings dip and speculation about Trump's distant dreams of being president for a third time gains pace.
Trump 2028 Hat Not Sold By Official Campaign
The red hat with a high crown, described as "Made in America," is not being offered for sale by Trump's official campaign but rather through his own family business, the Trump Organization. Eric Trump reposted a photo of himself wearing the hat with a grin, contributing to speculation that the merchandise amounts to more than satire. Originally described online with the tagline “Rewrite the rules,” the product description has since been toned down to read: “A statement piece… your new go-to hat.”
Eric Trump proudly sporting the cap, and the official Trump store is now selling Trump 2028 hats. | Credits: X
Third Term Talk Tests Constitutional Limits
Donald Trump, who previously served as President from 2017 to 2021 and returned to the White House in 2024, is legally prohibited from standing for election again under the 22nd Amendment. The US Constitution explicitly states: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice." However, Trump has refused to rule out a third term. In a recent interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, he declared, “I’m not joking… A lot of people want me to do it,” adding that “it’s very early in the administration.”
It would be a very strenuous task to amend the US Constitution to permit a third term. It would not only need a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate but also ratification from 38 of the 50 US states.
Merchandise Strategy Energizes Base, Draws Criticism
The "Trump 2028" gear is part of a long tradition of inflammatory political merchandise under the Trump brand from "Make Greenland Great Again" T-shirts to Trump-labeled Bibles, sneakers, and even cologne. Critics say Trump's commercialization of political slogans too often pushes the bounds between satire and real political messaging. As per Axios's reports, the Trump team has progressively relied on theme merchandise to get the base pumped up, regularly including cryptocurrency nods such as "DOGE," global ambitions like "Gulf of America," and now, references to constitutional reform.
Trump's approval ratings have suffered in recent polls, with increasing discontent over his economic management, especially inflation and tariffs. The figures cast doubt on the public's appetite for a longer Trump presidency.
As Trump nears the 100-day mark of his second term, political analysts remain doubtful of any viable route to a third term but observe that the former president's messaging, whether serious or not, is again changing the national narrative.
