Reflections | Donald Trump could be US president again. Deposed emperors in China had a ‘second term’ too, mostly by booting family members from the throne
- Americans ousted Donald Trump from the Oval Office, but he could yet return. In Chinese history, there were several ousted emperors who regained the throne
- The difference in China was they were removed by family members. In one case, an emperor who regained power lost it again – poisoned by his wife and daughter
It’s not inconceivable that Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, could be elected next year as the country’s 47th president.
If that happens, Trump will only be the second US president to serve two non-consecutive terms in office. The only person to have done so was Grover Cleveland, who was the 22nd (1885–1889) and 24th (1893–1897) president.
Most Chinese emperors remained emperors for the whole of their natural lives, or until the event of their unnatural deaths. There were a few abdications and retirements, but the end of a reign was meant to be permanent.
It was rare, but there were at least five instances when an emperor was reinstated for a “second term”.
Emperor Hui of the Western Jin dynasty was deposed by his great-uncle in 301, 11 years into his reign. His older relative took over as emperor, but within a few months Hui was reinstated as emperor by his other relations, and remained so until his death in 307.
