Current U.S. President Donald Trump has openly entertained the idea of seeking an unconstitutional third term in the White House, telling NBC News in a Sunday interview that he was "not joking" about circumventing the two-term limit enshrined in the 22nd Amendment.
The provision, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four-term presidency, explicitly bars any individual from being elected president more than twice, whether consecutively or not.
Trump’s remarks, which he previously dismissed as jokes, now signal a direct challenge to democratic norms, with legal scholars and historians warning of destabilizing consequences.
While the ex-president offered no specifics on the "methods" he referenced, experts universally reject any path to a third term as legally impossible without a constitutional overhaul.
The comments amplify concerns about Trump’s authoritarian leanings as he campaigns for a return to power in 2024.
Key Takeaways:
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Constitutional Red Line: The 22nd Amendment has been unchallenged for 73 years; bypassing it would require unprecedented maneuvers.
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Echoes of Authoritarianism: Trump’s rhetoric aligns with global strongmen who extended power by eroding term limits.
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Political Firestorm: Democrats and some Republicans swiftly condemned the remarks as antithetical to U.S. democracy.
Context: Trump has repeatedly tested institutional guardrails, from refusing to concede the 2020 election to pledging to weaponize the DOJ against opponents. His latest provocation risks further polarizing an already fractured electorate.
“Well, there are plans,” Trump told NBC News. “There are – not plans. There are methods – there are methods which you could do it, as you know.” He added: “I’m not joking”.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One from Florida to Washington later on Sunday, he echoed his oft-repeated claim about winning the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.