Jessica Tarlov told MeidasTouch she believes President Donald Trump is serious about a 2028 presidential bid and may try to remain in power beyond his current term. She said Trump sent her personalized "Trump 2028" merchandise last Christmas but that she will not play along. Tarlov warned Trump "will do everything in his power" to stay in office, especially if Steve Bannon influences him, and she declined staged photo ops while promoting her upcoming book I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends.
Fox News Commentator Jessica Tarlov Warns Trump Could Try To Stay In Power Beyond 2028
President Donald Trump shows off a "Trump 2028" hat while speaking at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on July 24, 2026. Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images
Fox News commentator Jessica Tarlov warned this week that President Donald Trump appears serious about a 2028 presidential bid and could attempt to extend his hold on power beyond his current term.
Tarlov, who is frequently the lone dissenting voice on the network panel show The Five, spoke on the MeidasTouch program On Sunday with Jack Cocchiarella. She said the president sent her customized "Trump 2028" hats as a Christmas gift last year — a gesture she described as a "cheap laugh."
"He customized 'Trump 2028' hats for me, and, you know, said something like, 'Thank you for your great support.' And I get it that it's funny for a cheap laugh," Tarlov said. "I happen to think that he will do everything in his power to be able to stick around as long as possible — and certainly if Steve Bannon gets his way."
Tarlov added she has no interest in meeting or cozying up to the president: "I have no interest. It's a lot safer to just stay away," she said, also noting a more prosaic reason she would avoid staged photo opportunities — "I'm not good at faking a smile, frankly."
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon, now a prominent MAGA podcaster, has publicly predicted Trump would run and win again despite constitutional limits on serving more than two elected terms. The 22nd Amendment bars a person from being elected president more than twice.
A photo of President Trump wearing a "Trump 2028" hat circulated after he appeared at the 2026 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on July 24, 2026.
Context
Tarlov was on the show to promote her forthcoming book, I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends. Her warning underscores concerns among some commentators that talk of a "2028" campaign and merchandising could signal efforts to extend political influence beyond the limits set by the Constitution.
Read More: Original interview on MeidasTouch and related reporting at HuffPost.
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