Trump ‘not joking’ about third term
US President Donald Trump has said he is “not joking” about potentially seeking a third term in office, telling NBC News in an interview on Sunday that there are “methods” to pursue another run, despite the 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 said.
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1951 following President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four election victories, states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
Pressed to clarify whether he has 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 said, adding 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 replied, “That’s one. But there are others too,” without elaborating.
While Trump allies have often dismissed his previous remarks about a third term as joking, Sunday’s comments suggest otherwise. Former Trump 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 presidents 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 the states.
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.
