Donald Trump has made a splash with his inflammatory recent remarks. Now, he’s allegedly thinking about making a run for an even longer third term as President of the United States. Despite the clear prohibition in the US Constitution against serving more than two terms, Trump stated he is “not joking” about this prospect. His comments have ignited a very passionate and tumultuous discussion in political circles. They should alarm everyone about the erosion of democratic traditions and the threat it poses to the democratic governance of our nation.
Finally, the US Constitution, via the 22nd Amendment, places a hard limit of two terms on how long a president may serve. The amendment states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.” This provision only came to be after Franklin Roosevelt broke precedent and won an unprecedented third and fourth term in 1940 and 1944. His elections were a reaction to the expanding, dangerous monopolization of power in the executive branch.
Trump’s comments have been condemned across the political spectrum. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin responded to Trump’s suggestion that he deserves a third term. He equated it to the parlor tricks of dictators. This is how dictators act, Martin noted, repeating a lament by millions worried by the erosion of constitutional norms.
John Dean, a Nixon-era Republican, commented on Trump’s statements. Dean likened Trump’s proposal to an “end run,” a deceptive play in American football. On this play, the ball-carrier sprints around the end of the defense to cross the goal line. They would have to be written by the Supreme Court, totally contrary to past interpretations, that would fundamentally redefine the Constitution. I just call it a constitutional end run,” Dean said.
Trump has suggested that he’s considering ways to get around this constitutional obstacle. Legal scholars and experts insist that changing the Constitution to allow a third term would be an enormous undertaking. The Supreme Court would need to redefine constitutional provisions, an unlikely scenario given the clear language of the 22nd Amendment. Derek Muller, a constitutional law expert, remarked, “I don’t think there’s any ‘one weird trick’ to getting around presidential term limits.”
Critics have decried that Trump’s effort to hold onto power runway is right out of the authoritarian playbook. Jasmine Crockett succinctly addressed Trump’s suggestion: “So, that’s actually not allowed…The Constitution isn’t optional, sir. This isn’t a reality show — it’s reality. Two terms, that’s it.”
So it’s no surprise that Trump’s allies and opponents have been quick to respond. Dan Goldman, a former prosecutor and current political commentator, described Trump’s comments as “yet another escalation in his clear effort to take over the government and dismantle our democracy.” He urged Congressional Republicans to oppose any ambitions Trump may have for a third term if they truly believe in upholding the Constitution.