Trump ‘not joking’ about third term

The US president has hinted at constitutional workarounds to bypass the two-term limit

President Donald Trump has said he is “not joking” about potentially seeking a third term in office, telling NBC News in a Sunday interview that there are “methods” to pursue another run, despite the US Constitution’s two-term limit on the presidency.

Trump made the remarks during a phone call from Mar-a-Lago, in what are his most direct comments yet on the possibility of extending his presidency beyond 2029. “A lot of people want me to do it,” he stated.

The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1951 following President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four elections, states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”

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Pressed to clarify whether he had been presented with any specific plans to bypass the limit, Trump replied: “There are – not plans – but there are methods which you could do it, as you know.”

“I’m not joking,” Trump added, though he noted that “it is far too early to think about it.”

Asked about a hypothetical scenario in which Vice President J.D. Vance could run for president and then hand over the office to him, Trump confirmed, “That’s one.”

“But there are others too,” he hinted, without elaborating further.

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While Trump’s allies have often dismissed his previous third-term remarks as jokes or trolling, Sunday’s comments suggest a more serious consideration. His political adviser Steve Bannon recently told NewsNation that Trump could “run and win again in 2028,” hinting at possible legal maneuvers.

Earlier this year, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles introduced a constitutional amendment that would allow a president to serve three non-consecutive terms, though it has so far gained little traction. Amendments to the Constitution require approval by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, followed by ratification from three-quarters of US states.

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Trump won the 2024 election by a wide margin against Democratic candidate and then–Vice President Kamala Harris, becoming the second president in US history to serve two non-consecutive terms.