The US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he was not joking about the possibility of seeking a third presidential term, despite being barred by the U.S. Constitution. However, he emphasized that it was “far too early” to consider such a move seriously. In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump confirmed, “No, I’m not joking. I’m not joking,” but stopped short of providing further details about how this could be achieved.
U.S. presidents are limited to two terms, as per the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits any president from serving more than two four-year terms, whether consecutive or non-consecutive. For Trump to serve beyond the current legal limits, a proposal would need to overturn this constitutional amendment, requiring a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, along with ratification by three-fourths of U.S. state legislatures.
While Trump did not go into specifics, some of his allies have floated the idea of extending his time in office beyond the 2028 election. Additionally, Trump himself has hinted at this possibility several times, often in a manner that seems to challenge his political opponents.
At 78, Trump became the oldest president to take office in 2021. If he runs again in 2028, he would be 82 at the start of the next term. The concept of a two-term presidency dates back to George Washington in 1796, who set the precedent for future presidents. This tradition held until Franklin D. Roosevelt, who broke the mold by running for and winning a third term in 1940, eventually serving part of a fourth term before his death in 1945. The 22nd Amendment was passed in 1951, limiting presidents to two terms.
Steve Bannon, a longtime adviser to Trump, suggested in a March 19 interview with NewsNation that Trump could run again in 2028. Bannon and others are reportedly exploring ways to navigate the term limits issue, including reevaluating the legal definition of a term.