Trump Third Term: President Says It Could Be Done

Posted on by cassonliving
Trump Third Term: President Says It Could Be Done

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — On Sunday, President Donald Trump declared, “I’m not joking” regarding the prospect of pursuing a third term, marking the most explicit indication yet of his interest in exploring potential methods to circumvent constitutional restrictions that prevent him from serving after his second term concludes in early 2029.

“There are methods which you could do it,” Trump mentioned during a phone interview with NBC News from Mar-a-Lago, his private estate.

He added that “it is far too early to think about it.”

The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times, states that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”

Any attempt to remain in office would likely face significant legal challenges, and it remains uncertain how seriously Trump is contemplating this idea. Nonetheless, his remarks serve as a striking testament to the desire for power from a President who, four years ago, attempted to overturn the election results in favor of Democrat Joe Biden, violating democratic norms.

NBC’s Kristen Welker posed a question to Trump about whether one potential route to a third term could involve Vice President J.D. Vance running for President and “then passing the baton to you.”

“Well, that’s one,” Trump acknowledged. “But there are others too. There are others.”

When Welker pressed for more details, asking, “Can you tell me another?” Trump simply replied, “No.”

Vance’s office has not yet responded to inquiries from the Associated Press.

Read More: For 2026, Trump Bolsters Young Upstarts to Carry MAGA Torch

Derek Muller, a professor specializing in election law at Notre Dame, highlighted that the 12th Amendment, ratified in 1804, specifies that “no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.”

Muller pointed out that if Trump is deemed ineligible to run for President due to the 22nd Amendment, he would also be ineligible for the Vice Presidency.

“I don’t think there’s any ‘one weird trick’ to getting around presidential term limits,” Muller stated.

Furthermore, any pursuit of a third term would necessitate unprecedented compliance from federal and state officials, as well as the courts and voters.

He speculated that Trump’s comments about a third term may be politically motivated, aimed at projecting strength.

“A lame-duck President like Donald Trump has every incentive to appear as if he’s not a lame duck,” he noted.

Trump, who would be 82 by the end of his second term, was asked if he would still want to hold “the toughest job in the country” at that age.

“Well, I like working,” he responded.

He suggested that people might support a third term due to his popularity, mistakenly claiming he has “the highest poll numbers of any Republican in the last 100 years.”

However, Gallup data indicates that President George W. Bush achieved a 90% approval rating following the September 11 attacks in 2001, and his father, George H.W. Bush, reached 89% after the Gulf War in 1991.

In contrast, Trump peaked at 47% in Gallup polls during his second term, despite claiming to be “in the high 70s in many polls, in the real polls.”

Trump has previously joked about serving more than two terms, often in light-hearted comments to supportive audiences.

“Am I allowed to run again?” he asked during a House Republican retreat earlier this year.

Representatives for congressional leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, have not yet responded to requests for comment from the AP.

Related Posts

en en