Regarding the possibility of a third term, President Trump said, “I think it’s pretty clear if you read it, I can’t run.” “It’s a shame.”
President Trump says he will be barred from running for a third term
President Donald Trump said he would not be allowed to run for a third term, calling it “too disappointing.”
After months of considering the idea of running for a third presidential term, which is prohibited by the Constitution, President Donald Trump acknowledged that the law is “pretty clear” against such a scenario.
“If you read it, it’s clear: I’m not authorized to run,” President Trump told reporters on Air Force One while traveling overseas on October 29. “It’s a shame.”
The comments came a day after Trump said he would be “willing” to serve beyond 2028, once again fueling speculation about his intentions.
Mr. Trump has regularly nod toward a third term. He brought up the topic at a Black History Month event at the White House in February and asked questions to the audience. “Should I run again? Please tell me.”
The audience cheered and began chanting, “Four more years.” That same month, President Trump said in a speech to Republican governors that he had been told he could not run again, but added, “I don’t know.”
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states: “No person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice.” Constitutional law experts agree with Trump’s assessment that the language is clear.
Deborah Perlstein, a constitutional law scholar at Princeton University, told USA TODAY in February that the 22nd Amendment would “absolutely prevent” Trump from running for office again.
Legal restrictions haven’t stopped some Trump supporters from pushing for a third term.
Steve Bannon, who served as White House chief strategist during Trump’s first administration and now hosts the influential MAGA podcast, told The Economist on October 23: “Trump will be president in 2028, and people should adjust to that.”
But House Speaker Mike Johnson, one of Trump’s closest allies, told reporters on Oct. 28 that Trump is limited by the Constitution.
“We have the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution,” Prime Minister Johnson said at a press conference. “I think the president knows, and the president and I have talked about the constraints of the Constitution.”
Johnson downplayed the idea that Trump would run again, saying he was “having a good time” trolling Democrats and that “Democrats are fired up by the prospect.”
But President Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election have raised questions about what he will do to remain in office. This effort culminated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, to prevent the certification of the election results.
Among the ideas being floated for President Trump’s third term is that he would be elected vice president and then the president would resign. President Trump dismissed that scenario this week.
“I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute,” President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on October 27 while traveling overseas. “Well, I’ll rule that out because it’s too cute. I don’t think people will like it. It’s too cute. It’s not. That’s not right.”
Contributor: Zachary Schermele
