Former U.S. President Donald Trump has ignited controversy by suggesting he may seek a third term in office, despite clear constitutional restrictions, CBS News reported.
In a phone interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump claimed, “There are methods which you could do it,” hinting at ways to circumvent the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms. When pressed further, he insisted, “I’m not joking,” but added, “It is far too early to think about it.”
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term presidency, explicitly states that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Any attempt by Trump to extend his presidency would face significant legal and institutional resistance.
Trump’s remarks have drawn sharp criticism, with Rep. Daniel Goldman calling it an “escalation in his clear effort to take over the government and dismantle our democracy.” He urged Congressional Republicans to publicly denounce Trump’s ambitions. “If Congressional Republicans believe in the Constitution, they will go on the record opposing Trump’s bid for a third term,” Goldman stated.
While some of Trump’s allies, such as former strategist Steve Bannon, have encouraged him to stay in politics beyond 2028, legal scholars argue that such a move is implausible. Jeremy Paul, a constitutional law professor at Northeastern University, dismissed the idea, saying, “There are no credible legal arguments for him to run for a third term.”
Election law expert Derek Muller of Notre Dame University also pointed to the 12th Amendment, which states that anyone ineligible for the presidency cannot serve as vice president either, making any backdoor attempt to return to power equally problematic. “I don’t think there’s any ‘one weird trick’ to getting around presidential term limits,” Muller added.
Despite the legal roadblocks, Trump—who would be 82 at the end of a potential second term—left the door open, stating simply, “Well, I like working.” However, constitutional experts and political analysts widely consider a third-term bid to be highly unlikely.
