A new poll explores an impossible scenario — Barack Obama vs. Donald Trump in 2028. The U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment forbids both from running again, yet “the matchup that can’t happen — but everyone wants to talk about” continues to fascinate voters.
Trump fueled the chatter when he joked, “People are asking me to run for a third term… They say there’s a way you could do it.” Obama, meanwhile, stays silent but popular, especially with young and minority voters.
According to a Daily Mail/J.L. Partners poll of 1,013 voters, Obama would win 52% to Trump’s 41%, with strong support among Hispanics (73%) and Black voters (68%). Among independents, he leads by 10 points — the only Democrat tested who beats Trump.
Both men symbolize opposing political visions. Obama embodies “hope and unity,” while Trump thrives on “grievance and disruption.” Their legacies remain intertwined — Trump’s rise was partly a backlash to Obama’s presidency.
Legally, a third term is impossible without amending the Constitution, but as the article notes, “in today’s political environment, ‘impossible’ doesn’t always mean ‘unthinkable.’” The poll shows that nostalgia still shapes U.S. politics — “the race between Obama and Trump never really ended. It just moved off the ballot and into our national psyche.”