US President-elect Donald Trump has thrown his hat into the ring for a third term in office fresh from his landslide victory in the recently concluded general elections. Addressing House Republicans in Washington ahead of his second term, Mr Trump left the room in stitches with a joke that sparked speculations about his future political ambitions.
Trump’s Comment Draws Laughter From Followers
During the meeting with members of House GOP, Trump told them, “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s good, we got to figure something else.'” The remark invoked chuckles in the audience. That started making people talk about whether he could run for a third term in 2028.
Constitutional Limitations: Two-Term Rule
Arguably, Trump’s rhetoric violates this principle of the US Constitution. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, bars anyone from being elected president more than twice-having averaged a four-term presidency by Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidency. In law and fact, no person shall serve more than two terms as president.
In addition, it states that any person having served more than two years of a predecessor’s term may only be elected once. That means that, while Trump can serve a second term from 2025, under existing law he cannot run for a third term in 2028.
Can the Two-Term Limit be Overruled?
Although the two-term limit is fixed, it can be repealed in theory. So a new amendment must pass both the US House and Senate with two-thirds majorities before Trump can try for a third term. The amendment then has to be ratified by three-fourth of the 50 states.
It would indeed take a very long time, and bipartisan cooperation, which is unlikely with today’s level of politics. Consequently, the two-term limit stands as the insurmountable barrier for any attempt by Trump or future presidents to go beyond the restriction imposed by this limitation.
Unlikely Way Forward
Even if Trump were to become an advocate for this change, the proposed amendment would still have many political and legal barriers to clear. The long process to reverse the 22nd Amendment makes it unlikely that the two-term limit will be lifted anytime soon. For now, Trump’s term from 2025-2029 is likely to be his last term in the White House.
A Last Term in the White House?
As Trump prepares for his return to the Oval Office in January, one can’t help but question his longer-term politics strategy based on a comment he made about running for a potential third term. Indeed, while his comment was playful, it underscored how there’s still fascination over Trump’s political future beyond even the boundaries imposed by the presidency.
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