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Donald Trump has said he is seriously considering staying on as US president beyond 2029, despite the Constitution limiting the number of terms to two, AP reports.
“I’m not kidding,” he said in an interview with NBC News when asked about his plans for a third term. According to Trump, there are “methods by which it can be done”, although he refrained from disclosing details.
Constitutional prohibition and potential loopholes
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, adopted after Franklin Roosevelt’s four consecutive victories, explicitly prohibits the president from holding the office more than twice.
Asked whether he was considering an option in which current Vice President J.D. Vance would take office and then hand over power to Trump, he replied: “That’s one option, but there are others,” without elaborating.
Popularity as an argument
Trump hinted that Americans might support his third term due to his popularity. At the same time, he falsely claimed to have the highest approval rating among Republicans in the last 100 years.
According to Gallup, the record of support in US history belongs to George W. Bush (90% after 9/11), while Trump’s highest rating was only 47% at the beginning of his first term.
Trump has previously joked about a third term, but now his words seem more serious, analysts say.
