You’re sitting around at trivia night and the question pops up: has any president skipped a term and come back later? Most people freeze. They think of the heavy hitters—Lincoln, FDR, Reagan—and assume everyone just served their time and left. But American history is weirder than that.
The short answer is yes. It has happened twice.
For over a century, Grover Cleveland was the lonely answer to this question. He was the 22nd and 24th president, a statistical glitch in the history books. But as of January 2025, he’s got company. Donald Trump officially became the second person to pull off the "skipped term" maneuver, serving as the 45th and 47th president.
It’s a rare feat. Think about the ego, the stamina, and the sheer political luck required to lose the most powerful job in the world, stay relevant for four years, and then convince the country to give you the keys back.
The Man Who Did It First: Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland wasn't exactly a charismatic firebrand. He was a big, stern man from Buffalo, New York, known for being incredibly honest—sometimes to a fault. They called him "Uncle Jumbo."
Cleveland won his first term in 1884. He was the first Democrat to win after the Civil War, which was a huge deal at the time. He spent four years vetoing everything in sight (he used the veto power 584 times across his two terms) and trying to keep the government’s hands out of the economy.
Then came 1888.
Cleveland actually won the popular vote against Benjamin Harrison, but he lost the Electoral College. Sound familiar? As he and his wife, Frances, were leaving the White House, Frances reportedly told a staff member to take good care of the place. She said, "I want you to find everything just as it is now when we come back." She wasn't kidding. She told them they'd be back in exactly four years.
She was right. In 1892, Cleveland ran again, beat Harrison in a rematch, and walked back through the front door of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
🔗 Read more: Latest Presidential Polls by State: Why They Feel Different in 2026
Donald Trump’s Modern Comeback
For 132 years, Cleveland was the only name on that list. Then came the 2020 and 2024 cycles.
Donald Trump's path to a non-consecutive second term was loud, litigious, and unlike anything the country had ever seen. After losing to Joe Biden in 2020, Trump spent four years in the political wilderness—though "wilderness" is a bit of a stretch considering he never really left the headlines.
He faced multiple indictments and trials, yet his base remained immovable. By the time the 2024 election rolled around, he had cleared the Republican field and defeated Vice President Kamala Harris. On January 20, 2025, he officially joined Cleveland in the "Skipped a Term" club.
The Ones Who Tried and Failed
Just because it’s only happened twice doesn't mean others haven't tried. Winning back the White House is the ultimate political "ex-girlfriend" move, and it's usually a disaster.
Take Theodore Roosevelt.
Teddy was a powerhouse. He served nearly two full terms after McKinley was assassinated, then decided not to run in 1908. He hand-picked William Howard Taft to be his successor. But Taft wasn't "progressive" enough for Teddy’s liking.
👉 See also: What Is Happening Today in the World: The January 18 News You Actually Need
In 1912, Teddy tried to jump back in. When the Republicans wouldn't nominate him, he started his own party—the Bull Moose Party. He actually got shot in the chest during a campaign speech in Milwaukee and kept talking for 90 minutes with the bullet still inside him. Even with that legendary toughness, he lost. He split the Republican vote, and Woodrow Wilson cruised into the presidency.
Others tried too:
- Martin Van Buren: Tried a comeback in 1844 and 1848. He failed both times.
- Millard Fillmore: Tried to get back in with the "Know-Nothing" party in 1856. Didn't work.
- Ulysses S. Grant: He wanted a third term (non-consecutive) in 1880. The party bosses said no.
Why Is This So Hard to Pull Off?
Basically, once you're out, you're "yesterday’s news."
In American politics, we love a fresh face. When a president leaves, they usually lose the "bully pulpit." They don't have the daily news cycle at their command. Plus, if they lost their reelection bid, they carry the "loser" label, which is political poison.
Cleveland and Trump both benefited from a very specific thing: a polarized country and a successor who struggled with a bad economy or unpopular policies. Cleveland capitalized on the Panic of 1893 (well, it started just as he took office) and the dissatisfaction with Harrison. Trump capitalized on inflation and immigration concerns under the Biden-Harris administration.
The Legal Side: The 22nd Amendment
You might wonder if someone can just keep doing this. Can you skip a term, serve, skip again, and serve?
🔗 Read more: Bethel Park PA News: Why Your Property Taxes Just Changed
Nope.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, put a hard cap on things. It says no person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice. Period. It doesn't matter if those terms are back-to-back or twenty years apart.
Interestingly, the amendment was a direct reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who won four terms in a row. Before him, the "two-term limit" was just a polite suggestion started by George Washington.
What This Means for Future Elections
The fact that we’ve now seen two non-consecutive presidents tells us that the "rules" of political momentum are changing. In the age of social media and 24-hour news, a former president can stay in the public eye much easier than they could in the 1800s.
If you're looking to understand how this impacts the future, keep an eye on these factors:
- The "Lame Duck" Status: A non-consecutive president in their second term is immediately a "lame duck" because they cannot run again. This often makes them more aggressive in their policies because they don't have to worry about the next election.
- Party Control: These types of wins usually signify a massive shift in party loyalty. It shows the party is more loyal to the person than the traditional path of finding a new successor.
- Historical Ranking: Historians usually struggle with non-consecutive terms. Cleveland's two terms are often treated as two separate presidencies because the problems he faced in 1885 were nothing like the depression he faced in 1893.
If you want to dive deeper into the specific mechanics of how these two men won their rematches, you should look into the rematch elections of 1892 and 2024. They are eerily similar in how the "outsider" used their previous record to hammer the incumbent. You can also research the 1912 Bull Moose campaign to see exactly how a comeback can go wrong when the party splits.
Check your local library or digital archives for the 1888 vs 1892 platforms—it’s wild how much the arguments about tariffs and currency resemble our modern debates over trade and inflation.