In an unprecedented interview with NBC News, his predecessor, Donald Trump, discussed the option of serving his third term despite the constitutional bar imposed by the 22nd Amendment. Former President Trump lost the 2020 presidential contest to Joe Biden and said that he was “not joking” when he mulled ways of circumventing the constitutional prohibition on any president running for three terms.
Speaking from his club at Mar-a-Lago, Trump explained that “methods” would allow him to run for a third term. He emphasized the desire of his people, saying, “I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which in a way is a fourth term because the other election, the 2020 election, was rigged.” He went on to say that, while there was no immediate plan, the possibility was something he was considering.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, merely states that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” a provision that was enacted to curb presidential power after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms. Any attempt to remain in office after a second term would be legally challenged seriously, and it is not certain how seriously Trump is thinking about this possibility.
Trump’s remark has come under fire, with politicians accusing him of not being loyal to democratic practices. Rep. Daniel Goldman, a Democrat from New York, called it an “escalation” of Trump’s move to subvert democratic traditions. He dared Congressional Republicans to fight Trump’s bid for a third term if they are concerned about the Constitution.
While Trump dangled hints at exploring a few options for achieving a third term, including putting forward Vice President JD Vance as a presidential candidate and then retiring the baton to Trump, legal experts have debunked those possibilities. Northeastern University’s constitutional law professor, Jeremy Paul, and Notre Dame election law expert Derek Muller both said there are no solid legal arguments in support of Trump’s third term.
Despite the political and legal hurdles, Trump’s statement signals his ongoing thirst for power and has revived discussion of his future political activities.
