Trump 2028, provocative at the press gala: "I'm running again," then jokes about a fourth term.

Donald Trump turned the closing remarks of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner into another moment of political spectacle. After more than an hour of speech, the President of the United States pulled out and donned a red "Trump 2028" cap , ironically announcing to the journalists in attendance that he intended to run for the White House again.

Trump presented the statement as a "scoop" offered precisely to the press with which he has had a contentious relationship for years. Immediately afterward, however, he clarified the provocative nature of the announcement, specifying that he was joking. The gesture provoked laughter, mixed applause, and renewed discussion about the constitutionally barred possibility of his presidential candidacy in 2028.

A fourth candidacy, but it would be a third presidential term

The formula Trump is using can be confusing. The 2028 campaign would be his fourth presidential campaign , following those in 2016, 2020, and 2024, but a victory would secure him a third term in the White House.

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The president played on this overlap, claiming he's become very good at running for office and even returning to the 2020 presidential election, won by Joe Biden. Trump once again called that election irregular, reiterating accusations of fraud that were not supported by evidence sufficient to change the certified election result.

The limit imposed by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution

Jokes aside, the current US Constitution bars Trump from being elected president again. The 22nd Amendment stipulates that no person can be elected president more than twice.

Trump was elected in 2016 and again in 2024. A new election in 2028 would therefore be incompatible with the current constitutional text, unless the Constitution is amended, an extremely complex process that would require qualified majorities in Congress and the ratification of at least three-quarters of the federal states.

The political provocation behind the slogan "Trump 2028"

The hat doesn't necessarily signal the start of a real election campaign. However, the slogan "Trump 2028" allows the president to maintain focus on himself, consolidate the loyalty of the Republican base, and present himself as the permanent center of American politics, even when the law would prevent him from seeking another term.

The joke also gives Trump the opportunity to test the reactions of the public, the Republican Party, and the media. The president had already repeatedly raised the possibility of remaining in the White House beyond the constitutional limit, alternating seemingly serious statements, provocative remarks, and subsequent ironic clarifications.

The return after the dinner interrupted by the attack in April

The July 24 gala, followed in Italy on the night of July 25, was a repeat of the annual dinner held on April 25 at the Washington Hilton. That evening was interrupted after a gunman opened fire near a security checkpoint, forcing the Secret Service to intervene and prompting the evacuation of the president and his guests.

The White House Correspondents' Association subsequently decided to reschedule the event, explaining that it did not want to let violence have the final say. Trump recalled that moment at the beginning of his speech, emphasizing that in the United States, differences must be resolved through discussion and free speech, not with weapons.

A tribute to the Secret Service and the hotel staff

One of the evening's most solemn moments was dedicated to Secret Service agent Victor Gonzales , who was assigned to conduct security during the April attack. Gonzales was struck in his protective vest while confronting the gunman and helped stop the attack.

The officer was honored for his courage, along with the staff of the Washington Hilton, recognized for their professionalism and assistance to guests during the emergency. Trump publicly thanked them, which was met with some of the loudest applause of the evening.

A smaller dinner with tighter controls

Compared to the April event, the second dinner was held in a more intimate setting and with significantly stricter security measures. The gala took place at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington , D.C. , with approximately 700 attendees, a single entrance, double ID checks, and the elimination of the traditional red carpet and separate pre-dinner receptions.

The dress code was also relaxed, becoming "black tie optional." The association's outgoing president, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang, opened the evening by declaring that the correspondents had returned and would not be intimidated by the attack.

The Waldorf Astoria and Trump's Claim

Trump proudly recalled his connection to the property that hosted the event. The hotel operated as the Trump International Hotel Washington from 2016 to 2022, when the president's company relinquished its management contract.

During his speech, Trump claimed to have "built" the hotel, referring to the transformation of the historic Old Post Office building into a luxury hotel. He then used the cost of the project to reiterate one of his attacks on the construction of the Federal Reserve building and on former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

Between irony, insults and jokes greeted by silence

The speech, which lasted just over an hour, alternated between conciliatory moments, self-congratulatory moments, and numerous personal digs. Trump took aim at journalists, television hosts, Democratic politicians, celebrities, and even the authors tasked with writing his speech.

Among the targets were Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Barack Obama, Gavin Newsom, Ilhan Omar, and former Republican governor Chris Christie. The opening remarks were met with some laughter, but the audience's reaction gradually cooled, with long silences and intermittent applause.

The digs against Bruce Springsteen and TV hosts

Trump called Springsteen "unpatriotic" and ironically changed the title of the famous song "Born in the USA" to "Bored in the USA." The musician has long been one of the president's most vocal critics and has publicly supported several Democratic candidates.

The White House chief also attacked hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, describing them as boring and incapable of attracting an audience. The jokes reiterated a characteristic trait of Trump's communication: transforming an institutional event into a series of direct attacks against political opponents, artists, and media figures.

Attacks on CNN and Kaitlan Collins

The passage devoted to CNN was particularly harsh. Trump took aim at Kaitlan Collins, one of the journalists honored during the dinner, telling her again that she should smile more. He also attacked host Jake Tapper, using one of the derogatory nicknames he routinely uses to refer to journalists he considers hostile.

Collins received the award for excellence in presidential reporting under the pressure of television deadlines. The circumstance further highlighted the contrast between the celebration of correspondents' work and the president's attacks on some of the honorees themselves.

Trump accuses the media: "You're obsessed with me."

During his speech, Trump argued that the vast majority of the news published about him was negative. He then accused the audience of suffering from the so-called "Trump obsession syndrome," a term used by the president and his supporters to delegitimize media criticism.

The strategy is now well-established: Trump openly attacks newspapers and television stations, but at the same time recognizes that constant coverage of his statements guarantees attention, ratings, and revenue. It's no coincidence that he joked that, once he's no longer present in the public eye, many media outlets will risk losing their audiences.

Wall Street Journal Awarded for Epstein Investigation

One of the most sensitive moments occurred during the presentation of the Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability to a group of Wall Street Journal journalists. The award recognized the newspaper's work on the relationship between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019.

Trump initially reacted by dramatically raising his hands and grimacing, then stood up and shook hands with the reporters. The president contested the investigation and took legal action against the newspaper, but during the gala he chose to defuse the embarrassment with humor.

Tyler Pager Recognized by the New York Times

Also honored during the evening was Tyler Pager of The New York Times , winner of the Center for Integrity in News Reporting Award for a series of articles on the first year of Trump's second term. The citation emphasized the journalist's well-researched and impartial approach to foreign policy, justice, donors, and energy.

Pager had been embroiled in a heated dispute with the administration over his work on the plane destined to become Air Force One, which was coming from Qatar. Subpoenas issued to several reporters, including Pager, had been dropped just the day before the gala, making his award particularly significant.

The increasingly tense relationship between Trump and the press

The president's participation in the dinner took on particular significance because it came at a time of growing tension between the White House and the media. During his second term, Trump attacked outlets, filed lawsuits, restricted journalists' access to presidential events, and used administrative and regulatory tools against media outlets deemed hostile.

The room included reporters publicly criticized by the president, previously excluded from certain events, or involved in legal disputes with the administration. The gala thus simultaneously demonstrated an attempt to preserve an institutional tradition and the depth of the conflict between political power and the media.

Statements on Iran and the upcoming meeting with Netanyahu

Trump also devoted part of his speech to the war with Iran, accusing the media of spreading false information about the progress of operations. The president reiterated that Tehran must not obtain nuclear weapons and maintained that he remains open to listening to any Iranian proposals.

During the evening, he also confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to the United States next week. According to the Israeli prime minister's office, Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in Washington, while military and diplomatic tensions remain high in the Middle East.

The reminder of the 2011 dinner with Barack Obama

Trump also recalled the 2011 Correspondents' Dinner, when he attended as a businessman and was mocked by then-President Barack Obama. At that time, Obama mocked Trump's false accusations regarding the president's birthplace and the television show "Celebrity Apprentice."

That evening has often been cited as one of the moments that prompted Trump to run for the White House. The president, however, has rejected this account, claiming he's rewatched the video several times but denying that those specific lines determined his decision to enter politics.

The final opening on freedom of the press

After a long series of attacks, Trump attempted to close the speech on a partially conciliatory note. He declared that he respected the journalistic profession and believed in freedom of the press, despite the "hassles" and inconvenience the media would cause him.

The passage drew some of the evening's loudest applause, though it didn't erase the tensions that had emerged during the speech. The dinner thus epitomized the contradiction in Trump's relationship with information: the president views the media as a political adversary, yet continues to use them as indispensable amplifiers of his message.

“YMCA” and a divided audience in front of the Trump show

The speech concluded with the tune of "YMCA" by Village People , a song now traditionally played at the end of Trump rallies. Some of the attendees stood and applauded, while other journalists remained seated, displaying a more cool reaction.

The "Trump 2028" hat nevertheless achieved the president's desired outcome: dominating media headlines at the end of an evening designed to celebrate journalism. Even without a real constitutional chance of re-election, Trump demonstrated once again his ability to transform a provocation into a political message capable of monopolizing public debate.