Trump store sells hats teasing third term in 2028

• Amending the Constitution is an arduous process that's unlikely to succeed.
• While Trump later told reporters he's not looking at the scenario now, he first told NBC "there are methods" by which he could make it happen.
• The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

The latest: Trump's political operations account on X Thursday said Eric Trump was "rocking the new Trump 2028 hat" as it showed the president's son wearing the new merchandise.

• Elon Musk, who on Wednesday said his "time allocation" devoted to DOGE will soon "drop significantly" after the Tesla CEO's EV company experienced "blowback" from his work leading Trump's cost-cutting department, reposted the post with the comment: "🔥😂"

Context: The 22nd amendment clearly states that "no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice."

• Though Trump suggested his path back to the White House could be on the coattails of a JD Vance victory, top Republicans on the Hill shrugged off the third-term chatter.
• House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) characterized the idea as "too fanciful to really discuss seriously," Axios' Andrew Solender reported.
• But for $50, supporters can flaunt those fanciful musings.

Flashback: From sneakers to Bibles to perfume, the Trump branding bonanza is nothing new.

• Even after he assumed the presidency a second time, his political operation continued to hawk merch inspired by his agenda — such as "Make Greenland Great Again," "Gulf of America" and "DOGE" t-shirts.
• Part of that push, Axios' Alex Isenstadt notes, is to tap into issues that fire up his base — and get under his opponents' skin. Case in point: plastic Trump straws.

Zoom in: But some legal scholars told Axios they're taking the 2028 push, no matter how improbable, seriously.

• Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) introduced a longshot measure in January that proposed a change to the Constitution that would allow Trump — but not former Presidents Bush, Obama or Clinton — to seek a third term.
• And former Trump adviser Steve Bannon said in an interview last month that he's a "firm believer" that Trump will run and win the White House for a third time in 2028.
• Asked how Trump would sidestep constitutional limits, Bannon replied, "We're working on it."

Go deeper: MAGA already looking to anoint Vance for 2028

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include details of posts to X by the Trump War Room and Elon Musk.