The constitutional limit prevents US presidents from serving three terms – but Donald Trump, whose first spell was between 2017 and 2021, is said to be determined to circumvent this
Donald Trump has threatened to circumvent the constitutional limit stopping US presidents from serving three terms.
It would mean Mr Trump would have another spell as the US leader – making history in becoming the first president to do so since Franklin D. Roosevelt as the constitutional limit was approved in 1947. Yet, Mr Trump, 78, said there are “methods” – if not “plans” find a way to secure his third spell as US President.
Speaking in an alarming TV interview on Sunday, he said: “Well, there are plans… There are – not plans. There are methods – there are methods which you could do it, as you know.” The politician, talking to journalist Kristen Welker on NBC News, stressed he was not joking about the designs.
The constitution’s 22nd amendment was approved and ratified after concerns were raised when Mr Roosevelt became the only president to be elected for a third and fourth term in the 1940 and 1944 elections respectively.
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In the NBC interview though, Ms Welker alluded to a purported loophole some Mr Trump supporters have fantasised about finding, in which he could be the running mate to his vice-president, JD Vance, or someone else in the 2028 election. The person to whom Mr Trump would be the running mate in that scenario could then immediately resign after winning and being sworn in as president, letting Mr Trump take over by succession.
The constitution’s 22nd amendment only explicitly bans being “elected” to more than two presidential terms without saying anything about becoming the commander-in-chief on an additional occasion through succession, Mr Trump fans argue.
While Mr Vance has not commented on such a plan, Mr Trump supporters believe his comments on NBC refer to the vision. Ms Welker discussed how Mr Vance could somehow “pass the baton” to Mr Trump. The US leader replied: “Well, that’s one. But there are others too. There are others.” Yet, the President declined to give details on the other methods.
Mr Trump, whose first spell as president was between 2017 and 2021, said it was “far too early to think about” trying to defy the two-presidential term limit in the constitution to stay in office and that he was “focused on the current”. But, asked if being president a third time would be too much work, he said: “I like working.” Mr Trump will be 82 when the 2028 elections come around.
And asked if he was just joking, as he and his supporters like to say whenever he floats anti-constitutional ideas, the determined Republican said: “No, no, I’m not joking. I’m not joking.”
After the interview, the US President and Prime Minister Keir Starmer held “productive” talks between their respective teams on a UK-US economic deal, agreeing that these will continue this week.