2028 Election
U.S. Presidential Election 2028: What We Know So Far
With Donald Trump's second term running until January 20, 2029, the 2028 presidential election is the next major milestone in American democracy. The race to succeed Trump is already beginning to take shape — even if the candidates and issues won't fully crystallize until 2027 and 2028.
Here is what we know about the 2028 election — the rules, the timeline, and the political landscape that will shape it.
The key rule: Trump cannot run again
The most important fact about the 2028 election is what it is not: it is not a Trump election. The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits any person from being elected president more than twice. Since Trump has now served two terms — 2017–2021 and 2025–2029 — he is constitutionally ineligible to run for president in 2028 or any future election.
This makes 2028 a genuinely open race on the Republican side for the first time since 2016, and only the second time since 2008. Both parties will nominate new candidates, making it one of the most consequential open-field elections in a generation.
Who is eligible to run for president?
Under the U.S. Constitution, a presidential candidate must be: (1) a natural-born U.S. citizen, (2) at least 35 years old, (3) a U.S. resident for at least 14 years, and (4) not have already been elected president twice. There is no upper age limit.
Key dates in the 2028 election cycle
Midterm elections — November 2026
All 435 House seats and 33 Senate seats are contested. Midterm results will signal the political environment heading into 2028 and may boost or weaken potential candidates.
Exploratory committees and early announcements
Serious candidates typically form exploratory committees 12–18 months before the election. 2027 will see the first major announcements from both parties.
Primary season begins
The Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary traditionally kick off the primary season in January or February of the election year. These early contests dramatically shape the race.
Party conventions
The Democratic and Republican parties formally nominate their presidential and vice-presidential candidates at their national conventions, typically held in July and August.
Election Day
Americans vote. The winner of the Electoral College — requiring 270 of 538 electoral votes — becomes president-elect.
Inauguration Day — Trump's term ends
At noon EST, Donald Trump's presidency legally ends and the 48th President of the United States is sworn into office.
What the post-Trump political landscape looks like
The 2028 election will be the first since 2012 without either Trump or Biden on the ballot. Both parties face significant questions about their post-Trump direction.
On the Republican side, the central question is whether the party continues in the MAGA direction that Trump established, or whether it pivots toward a more traditional conservative platform. The candidates who emerge from the 2026 midterms with strong profiles will be positioned to make that case.
On the Democratic side, the 2024 defeat and Biden's withdrawal from the race created significant uncertainty about the party's direction. The 2028 cycle will be an opportunity for new Democratic leadership to emerge.
One near-certainty: the 2028 election will be watched closely not just in the United States but around the world. In an era of global political polarization, the direction of American foreign and domestic policy remains consequential for every democracy on earth.
Track the exact time remaining until Inauguration Day 2029 — and the transition to the 48th president — with our live countdown clock.