“I’ll give you another $250 million” - Mavericks owner urges Donald Trump to consider a third presidential term
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Dallas Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson publicly called on Donald Trump to run for a third term in 2028 at the White House’s Hanukkah celebration. Adelson, the billionaire majority owner of the casino and resort empire Las Vegas Sands Corp., pledged a large sum of money to support that possibility.
“She said, ‘Think about it, I’ll give you another $250 million,’” Trump told the crowd in the White House event, per Forbes.
Adelson, who was standing a few feet away, immediately confirmed the conversation: “I will give.”
What the Constitution says
Ever since Trump was elected to a second term in January 2025, most of his prominent supporters have been floating the idea of a third term. However, even if the 42nd-richest person in the world implores him to run in 2028, Trump admitted it would be constitutionally impossible for him to do so.
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After all, the U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment explicitly states that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Trump has served his first term from January 2017 to January 2021 and is well on his way to finishing the first year of his second term.
However, it begs the question: Does Adelson’s public support for a third term indicate a legal loophole that can be exploited? Well, it looks like Miriam and his legal team at least did their preliminary work.
“I met Alan Dershowitz… He said.. four more years. We can do it. Think about it,” she told Trump, as the audience erupted into a “four more years” chant.
While Miriam’s confidence is noteworthy, it will require an uphill climb for Trump’s supporters to make their case to the Supreme Court and challenge the Constitution. There is no harm in trying, but any constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as support from at least 38 of the 50 states.
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In October 2025, Jack Queen and Luc Cohen of Reuters noted that Republicans hold a slim 219-213 edge in the House, a 53-47 lead in the Senate, and control of 28 state legislatures. Trump’s supporters can gather enough support until 2028, but it’s highly unlikely.
However, the most realistic loophole is for Trump to run for vice president and succeed to the presidency. The Constitution does not allow anyone elected to run for a third term, but it says nothing about succession.
As Graeme Baker of BBC News mentioned, there is a possible scenario where JD Vance runs for President and Trump for Vice President in 2028. Trump could then take over at some point by succession, effectively circumventing the Constitution.
Although these are all speculations, nothing is off limits when it comes to securing political power.
Trump and the NBA
Adelson is just one of many NBA owners who publicly supported Trump in the past. Tillman Fertitta (Houston Rockets), Dan Gilbert (Cleveland Cavaliers) and James Dolan (New York Knicks) also made some generous donations to the President at some point.
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The players obviously have their preferences, although some are more vocal than others. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James once called the POTUS a “bum” for his divisive tactics after Stephen Curry publicly stated that he did not want to visit the White House following the Golden State Warriors' 2017 title.
Recently, Trump’s name was again dragged into the spotlight in sports circles because of Dwight Howard. The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year urged the President to employ compulsory “service” to instill discipline among the Americans. That prompted a series of online backlash, though some people are open to the idea.
That is the only constant when it came to Trump. Any headline with his name attached, whether it runs through the White House or the NBA owners’ box, instantly becomes a lightning rod. The NBA connection only amplifies the response, turning speculation into a national talking point almost by default.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.