President-elect Donald Trump appears uninterested in easing concerns about a potential grab for extended power.
On Wednesday, while addressing the House Republican Conference, the 78-year-old incoming 47th president joked about the idea of running for a third term, suggesting the audience might find “another way” if they thought he was doing a good job. He humorously remarked, “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say he’s so good we got to figure something else out.”
The notion of a third term would be a clear violation of the U.S. Constitution, which, since 1951, has forbidden presidents from serving more than two terms—a rule established by the Twenty-Second Amendment after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms.
Before this, a two-term limit was an informal tradition started by George Washington. The amendment states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” and includes further stipulations for those who have already served part of another president’s term.
This isn’t the first time Trump has suggested he might challenge the two-term limit.
Earlier this year, at a National Rifle Association event, he compared his potential time in office to Roosevelt’s lengthy tenure. He mused about being a three-term president, which drew cheers from the audience.
Trump also brought up the idea in 2020, asserting that he deserved a “redo” of his first term due to an FBI investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Amending the Constitution to remove term limits is unlikely to happen soon, even with Republican control. Such a change requires broad public approval. Under Article 5 of the Constitution, any amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House, followed by ratification from three-fourths of the states.
Alternatively, a constitutional convention could be called, but it would still need the support of two-thirds of the states and, again, three-fourths for ratification.
