President Donald Trump claimed that Israeli-American mega-donor Miriam Adelson offered him $250 million to run for an unconstitutional third term in 2028 — an idea he’s repeatedly teased.
At a White House Hanukkah reception on Tuesday night, Trump spoke glowingly of Adelson before bringing her up on stage.
“Miriam gave my campaign indirectly and directly $250 million, she was the number one,” the Republican president said to a crowd of people in the East Room. “When somebody can give you $250 million, I think that we should give her the opportunity to say hello.”
Adelson — who was married to billionaire Sheldon Adelson until his death in 2021 — then stood behind the podium and revealed she had just met with Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard Law School professor who served as an attorney for Jeffrey Epstein.
She claimed to have spoken with Dershowitz “about four more years,” before adding: “I say Alan, I agree with you, so we can do it!”
The crowd then broke out into a chant of “Four more years,” while Adelson leaned in to speak to the 79-year-old president.
“She said ‘Think about it, I’ll give you another $250 million,’” Trump announced to the audience.
“I will give,” Adelson quickly confirmed.
Later in his remarks, Trump spoke about Miriam’s late husband, a casino mogul who was once one of the biggest donors in American politics.
“He’d call and say, ‘Can I come over please?’” Trump said. “I’d say, ‘Sheldon, I’m president of the United States, it doesn’t work that way anymore. Like, maybe tomorrow? How about tomorrow?’ ‘No, no, no, please, just for a little while.’”
“And he’d always say 10 minutes, it turned out to be about an hour-and-a-half, and what he did is he fought for Israel. That’s all he really fought for,” the president added.
The Adelsons have long encouraged the Trump administration to pursue a pro-Israel agenda. During his first term, Sheldon Adelson urged the president to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and later, Miriam Adelson pushed Trump to publicly support Israel annexing the West Bank, according to Haaretz.
Trump has repeatedly hinted that he would like to run again in 2028 despite the 22nd Amendment barring presidents from serving more than two terms.
In March, he told NBC News that he was “not joking” about seeking a third term, adding, “A lot of people want me to do it.”
And, during a meeting with congressional Democrats, “Trump 2028” hats were placed on the Resolute Desk, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in October.
More recently, he’s given mixed signals about trying for a third term.
“I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever,” he told reporters on Air Force One in October when he was asked about running again. But, then he said a 2028 run would be “too cute” and “wouldn’t be right.”
Asked directly if he wasn’t ruling out a third term, Trump replied: “Am I not ruling it out? I mean, you’ll have to tell me.”
