President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell on Sunday, declaring he’s “not joking” about exploring avenues to secure a third term in office, despite the U.S. Constitution’s clear prohibition.
In a candid phone interview with NBC News, Trump hinted at “methods” to sidestep the 22nd Amendment, which caps presidential service at two elected terms—a limit etched into law in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four-term reign.
“There are methods which you could do it,” Trump said cryptically, though he brushed off further speculation by adding, “it is far too early to think about it.”
When pressed by NBC’s Kristen Welker about one possible scenario—Vice President JD Vance running in 2028 and then handing over the presidency—Trump confirmed, “Well, that’s one,” before teasing, “But there are others too.” He declined to elaborate, leaving the door ajar to speculation. Vance’s office remained silent when approached for comment.
At 82 by the end of his current term in 2029, Trump would be the oldest president ever to serve. Asked if he’d relish “the toughest job in the country” at that age, he quipped, “Well, I like working,” doubling down on his zest for the role.
Trump argued his popularity could sway Americans to back a third term, boldly claiming he holds “the highest poll numbers of any Republican for the last 100 years.” Yet, Gallup data tells a different story: George W. Bush hit 90% approval post-9/11, and George H.W. Bush reached 89% after the Gulf War, while Trump’s second-term peak lingers at 47%—far from his boasted “high 70s in the real polls.”
This isn’t Trump’s first flirtation with the idea. From joking at a January House Republican retreat—“Am I allowed to run again?”—to Sunday’s earnest tone, he’s kept the notion alive, stoking both intrigue and alarm.
With the 22nd Amendment standing firm, any path to a third term would require unprecedented legal gymnastics—or a seismic shift in America’s constitutional framework. For now, Trump’s musings remain a tantalizing riddle, one that promises to fuel debate well into his second term.