Lawrence Lessig, a prominent constitutional law expert and Harvard professor, believes a third Trump term is possible. He told Stern magazine that the US Constitution does not prohibit a president from running for vice president after leaving office, as stated in the 12th Amendment. Lessig explained that this would allow Trump to come into office with a president who then steps down, giving Trump a third term. He compared this to how Russian President Vladimir Putin has remained in power. Lessig believes Trump could potentially follow this path, noting that he has already printed “Trump 2028” hats. “The only thing that can save us from this is his mortality” Lessig said, referring to Trump’s age.
Lessig expressed little hope for a resolution in Trump’s policies and the behavior of the Republican Party. He believes that Trump’s policies are not based on any plan, but rather on sheer idiocy. He also sees similarities between Trump’s approach and that of Russian President Vladimir Putin when it comes to dealing with billionaires in the country. Lessig believes that Trump’s actions towards these billionaires are similar to Putin’s handling of oligarchs, as they would not stop him because they have seen how Putin dealt with dissent.
Lessig is concerned about the ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and elite university Harvard. He appreciates that the university is fighting back and showing backbone. He believes that the university is right in resisting the president’s actions, which are illegal and unconstitutional. Lessig rejects Trump’s claim that the dispute is about protecting Jewish students on campus, stating that Trump does not care about anti-Semitism. He believes that Trump is using mafia-style tactics to intimidate the university. Despite the potential consequences, Lessig says that they must resist the “unaccountable and most powerful man in the world.” He warns that it will be a “bloodbath” and that Harvard will suffer significant damage, but they must stand up against Trump.