Well, this is a little unsettling. Donald Trump has told the media on Sunday that he won’t rule out seeking a third-term in office – defying the US Constitution and stating that there are ways to get around the current laws.
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Can Donald Trump get a third-term as president?
As it stands, no US President can serve more than two terms in the White House. The eight-year maximum stay also applies to non-consecutive terms, like Trump’s. Overturning the rule in Congress would prove to be a highly difficult exercise.
To secure a Constitutional amendment, two-thirds of the house would have to vote in favour of the proposal. Given the near-even split of Republicans and Democrats in the legislative body – and the potential concerns of some GOP officials – this is a non-starter.
But the remarks Trump made to NBC earlier today subvert due process. He admitted that he ‘is not joking’ about considering a third-term, and stated that ‘there are methods’ for how he could do it. The 78-year-old then claimed he ‘has the support’.
‘A lot of people want me to do it’ – POTUS
One method was put to him by an NBC journalist, where someone like JD Vance – the vice president – could run for office, and immediately cede power to Donald Trump. The President, when confronted with the scenario, did nothing to rule it out.
“A lot of people want me to do [a third-term]. But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration. But right now, I’m focused on the current. I like working.”
“I’m not joking about it. But I’m not — it is far too early to think about it. There are methods which you could do it. [JD Vance could run and pass the role on], that’s one method. There are a lot of people who’d like me to do it.” | Donald Trump