- President Donald Trump maintains he’s serious about running for a third term, suggesting there are methods to bypass constitutional limits. He does say it’s too early to discuss details.
- Legal expert Derek Muller points out that if Trump is ineligible for a third term under the 22nd Amendment, he would also be ineligible to serve as vice president, according to the 12th Amendment.
- Steve Bannon, in a March 22 interview, confirmed efforts are underway to explore ways for Trump to seek a third term, with plans to make public announcements in the coming months.
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President Donald Trump insists he is serious about running for a third term, despite constitutional restrictions. In a phone interview with NBC News on Sunday, March 30, Trump said he was “not joking” and that “There are methods which you could do it,” though he added it’s too early to discuss specifics.
When asked about a scenario where Vice President JD Vance could run for president and later pass the role to his current boss, Trump confirmed, “That’s one method.”
Derek Muller, a professor of election law at Notre Dame, told the Associated Press that the 12th Amendment prevents anyone constitutionally ineligible to be president from serving as vice president. He noted that if Trump is barred from seeking a third presidential term due to the 22nd Amendment, he would also be ineligible to run for vice president.
In a March 22 interview with NewsNation, former White House strategist Steve Bannon discussed efforts to find ways for Trump to pursue a third term despite constitutional term limits. “We’re working on it. I think we’ll have a couple of alternatives,” Bannon said. “We’ll see what the definition of term limit is.”
Bannon expressed confidence in Trump’s 2028 bid, stating, “I’m a firm believer that President Trump will run and win again in 2028. We’ve had greater long shots than Trump 2028.” He added that they were not ready to make public announcements but expected to do so in a few months.
What is the 22nd Amendment
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, limits presidents to two terms in office. It 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.”
The amendment was enacted after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who passed away early in his fourth term. Prior to its ratification, term limits had been a topic of debate dating back to the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
