Defying Constitution, Trump Claims Supporters Want Him for a Third Term

Former President Donald Trump suggested Monday that supporters are urging him to run for a third term, despite the U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibiting such a move. When questioned by reporters about the possibility, Trump responded, “People are asking me to run.” He added, “I don’t know. I never looked into it. They do say there’s a way you can do it, but I don’t know about that.”

The 78-year-old Republican, who served from 2017 to 2021, doubled down on the idea in a recent NBC News interview, stating, “I’m not joking” about seeking another term. He even entertained the hypothetical scenario of facing former President Barack Obama in an election, remarking, “That would be a good one, I’d like that.”

The U.S. has enforced a two-term limit for presidents since the ratification of the 22nd Amendment in 1951, a rule established after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term presidency. The tradition dates back to George Washington, who voluntarily stepped down after two terms in 1797. Trump’s remarks have sparked renewed debate over term limits and the norms of American democracy.