US President Donald Trump has declared he is “not joking” about pursuing a third term, suggesting there are “methods” to circumvent the constitutional two-term limit.
In a phone interview with NBC News, Mr. Trump hinted at possible avenues but refrained from detailing them.
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt‘s four consecutive terms, restricts presidents to two elected terms. When asked about a scenario where Vice-President JD Vance could run for president and then “pass the baton” back to him, Mr. Trump acknowledged it as one possibility but added, “there are others too.”
Pressed for specifics, he declined to elaborate.
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At 78, Mr. Trump would be 82 by the end of a potential second term. Despite the demanding nature of the presidency, he expressed enthusiasm for continuing. He also claimed to have “the highest poll numbers of any Republican for the last 100 years,” purporting public support for an extended tenure.
Legal experts have cast doubt on the feasibility of such maneuvers. Derek Muller, a professor of election law at Notre Dame, told the Associated Press that the 22nd Amendment would not permit the scenario where Mr. Trump serves as vice-president and then ascends to the presidency.
Critics have voiced concern over Mr. Trump’s intentions. Daniel Goldman, a New York Democrat and lead counsel for Mr. Trump’s first impeachment stated, “this is yet another escalation in his clear effort to take over the government and dismantle our democracy.”
He urged Congressional Republicans to publicly oppose the president’s ambitions.
While the prospect of a third term remains speculative, Mr. Trump’s remarks have ignited debate over the durability of constitutional norms and the lengths to which he might go to retain power.