Donald Trump has once again played with the idea of bypassing the constitutional limit on presidential terms. In an interview with NBC News, he stated that there are “methods” to enable a third term as president. Whether as a provocation or a serious plan, his statements have sparked a heated debate.
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution sets clear boundaries: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice and no person who shall have held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than four years, in whole or in part, or has served for a full term of four years or more after February 1, 1951, shall be elected to the office of President more than once.”
This rule was introduced in 1951, after Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times. Trump’s statements, however, suggest that he sees ways to circumvent this provision.
NBC journalist Kristen Welker asked Trump if a possible way to a third term could be for his vice, J.D. Vance, to run and then hand over the office to him. Trump replied, “Well, that’s one. But there are others. There are others.”
He declined to elaborate on another possibility when asked.
It’s not the first time Trump has put the idea of a third term in the air. During his first presidency from 2017 to 2021, he repeatedly expressed the wish to stay in office longer than eight years. At the time, this was often seen as a provocation or a power demonstration. But now, in his second term, the rhetoric appears more serious – and strategic.
Trump emphasizes that “many people” still see him as a president. Indeed, there are voices within the Republican Party that advocate for a term extension. Trump’s advisor Steve Bannon, for example, sees a third term as a realistic option.
Trump’s strategy could have multiple goals. He might mobilize his supporters by presenting himself as an indispensable leader. At the same time, he may be testing how far he can shift the political boundaries. Simply the suggestion of a third term could unsettle his opponents and focus media attention on him.