Early on Sunday, during a phone interview with NBC News, President Donald Trump said “there are methods” to evade the constitutional barrier that prevents him from running for a third term.
And given the current state of affairs as Trump begins his second term, the comments set the world ablaze.
The president, aboard the Air Force One, flying from Palm Beach airport to the Joint Base Andrews on Sunday evening, addressed the looming questions about his interest in seeking an unconstitutional term in the future.
Asked whether he would leave office four years from now, the president initially dismissed the question before saying that the people wanted him to run again. At one point, he clarified that it would allegedly be his fourth term since he categorizes the 2020 presidential election as “totally rigged.”
Trump touted his popularity and claimed his administration’s “had the best hundred days of almost any president.” When pressed for more details regarding another potential term, Trump said he didn’t want to talk about it.
“We have a long time. We have almost four years to go and that’s a long time but despite that so many people are saying you’ve got to run again. They love the job we’re doing,” he said.
Is this constitutional?
A person can be elected as the president for two terms, and that’s according to the 22nd Amendment, which became a part of the Constitution in 1951, following President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fourth term in office.
Despite Roosevelt’s unprecedented win, Washington, D.C., held a strong two-term tradition set by the first and third presidents — George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Trump in a 2024 interview with Time magazine said he isn’t in favor of reforming the 22nd Amendment. “I intend to serve four years and do a great job. And I want to bring our country back. I want to put it back on the right track.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, in a post on X said what Trump suggested isn’t allowed. “The Constitution isn’t optional, sir. This isn’t a reality show — it’s reality," she said. “Two terms, that’s it.”
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., recalled his cautionary comments about Trump’s ambitions to stay in office.
“This is yet another escalation in his clear effort to take over the government and dismantle our democracy,” he said in a statement reported by CBS News’ Scott MacFarlane. “If Congressional Republicans believe in the Constitution, they will go on the record opposing Trump’s ambitions for a third term.”
What did Sens. John Thune, John Curtis say
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told the Deseret News Monday that the president is likely joking around.
“You guys keep asking the question and I think he’s probably having some fun with it, probably messing with you,” he said.
Late last month, Utah Sen. John Curtis chuckled at the possibility of supporting Trump’s run for the office of president again.
“I wouldn’t have supported a third term for George Washington‚" he said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
“That’s a no, yeah,” Curtis said while laughing.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed the president’s vague comments.
“Look, you guys continue to ask the president about a third term, and then he answers honestly and candidly with a smile, and then everybody here melts down about his answer,” said Leavitt.
Trump’s loyal allies, like Steve Bannon, told Newsmax last month that he thinks the president will “run and win again in 2028″ and hinted that the administration has “a couple of alternatives” to make this a reality.