During a short but contentious interview with Meet the Press host Kristen Welker this past Sunday, former President Donald Trump declared. He implied there are “ways” to get around the constitutional amendment prohibiting U.S. presidents from serving more than two terms. No one should take it lightly that Trump was serious when he said that he found out how to stay in power after a second term. His remarks have ignited vigorous debate and controversy regarding what this would mean if such a move were to ever be made.
The 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution seems quite clear in forbidding anyone from being elected president more than twice. It doesn’t cover the case of rising to the presidency by succession. The former president’s supporters have floated an interesting trial balloon. They hazard a guess that he might make sense as a vice-presidential contender with someone like JD Vance in 2028. In that case, the elected president might be able to quit immediately after being sworn in. This would allow Trump to succeed into the office by way of succession.
Trump also stressed the need for him to roll up his sleeves and get to work on a third time, if afforded the opportunity. “I just love working,” he said, in answer to fears that a second term would be too heavy a lift. The White House highlighted Trump’s assertion on social media, accompanied by a computer-generated image of the former president grinning on a faux Time magazine cover.
Previously, Trump likened himself to a “king” on social media, an analogy that hints at a royal title without term limits. Not a third term…yet In between his incendiary comments, Trump maintained that it’s “far too early” to talk about a third term. He made clear that his eye is still on the present priorities.
Amending presidential term limits would not be easy. That requires two-thirds approval from the full Senate and the House of Representatives. Moreover, three-fourths of state legislatures would have to ratify any such amendment. Right now, Trump’s allies don’t have the political firepower in any of these bodies to make such a radical, anti-democratic constitutional amendment happen.
Trump’s remarks came shortly after issuing an executive order aimed at New York City’s congestion pricing program. On Truth Social, Trump declared the initiative dead, exclaiming, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
The idea of Trump somehow taking his presidency past two terms isn’t new. It is a subject he has opened the door on many times, at points laughing it off as a prank. When challenged on whether he plans to stay in power after his second term would end, Trump nonchalantly replied, “Well, that’s one.”
Congressman Markwayne Mullin, a third political heavyweight had a say in this battle for amendments to the Constitution. He stated, “I’m not changing the constitution, first of all, unless the American people chose to do that,” highlighting the democratic hurdles involved in altering presidential term limits.