Good morning, and welcome to our US politics blog amid reports that Donald Trump is “not joking” about a potential third term.
His comments made on Sunday provide the clearest indication so far that he is contemplating methods to circumvent a constitutional restriction against remaining in power after his second term concludes at the start of 2029.
“There are methods that could make it possible,” Trump stated during a phone interview with NBC News from Mar-a-Lago, asserting to host Kristen Welker: “I am not joking.”
He later further explained to reporters aboard Air Force One, traveling from Florida to Washington, that “I have received more requests for a third term which could be interpreted as a fourth term because the 2020 election was completely rigged.” Trump lost that election to Joe Biden.
Despite this, Trump added: “I don’t want to discuss a third term now because, regardless of how you view it, we have a long way to go.”
As reported by Associated Press, the 22nd Amendment, which was enacted to the Constitution in 1951 following President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four consecutive elections, stipulates that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
Any attempt to remain in office could be legally questionable, and it remains uncertain how seriously Trump might consider this idea. Nevertheless, his remarks serve as an extraordinary reflection of the desire to cling to power from a president who previously undermined democratic principles after losing the election to Biden.
We will provide further responses from Trump’s supporters and adversaries as the day unfolds. Additionally, there are numerous other developments:
