While President Donald Trump has publicly pondered the possibility of a third term in the White House, the constraints of the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution render this scenario highly improbable.
At 78 years old, Mr. Trump stated recently, “I’m not joking” about the idea of serving a third term. During an interview with NBC News, he mentioned that there are “methods” that could potentially facilitate this unprecedented situation. However, most constitutional scholars fundamentally disagree with this perspective.
Attempting to amend the Constitution — which currently prohibits a president from serving more than two terms — would plunge the nation into uncharted territory. As historian Gordon Wood aptly put it, “Amendments are not casually undertaken,” especially when addressing such a pivotal aspect of governance.
Historically, Franklin D. Roosevelt stands out as the only U.S. president to have served more than two terms. He was elected president an astonishing four times — in 1932, 1936, 1940, and 1944. His fourth term came to an untimely end due to his passing on April 12, 1945, at the age of 63.
Although the United States’ first president, George Washington, set the precedent by voluntarily stepping down after two terms, the two-term limit was not formally established until more than a century and a half later. Following Roosevelt, no other president has successfully run for a third term. Notable figures like Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt attempted a comeback but were ultimately unsuccessful in securing the nomination.
It’s interesting to note that Mr. Trump is only the second president to achieve a non-consecutive term, having been elected in 2016, lost in 2020, and then won again in 2024. The first to do so was Grover Cleveland, who served in a similar fashion in the late 19th century.
The 22nd Amendment Explained
The 22nd Amendment, which limits a president to two terms, was passed by Congress in 1947, two years after Roosevelt’s death. It received overwhelming support, with two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate voting in favor. By 1951, it was ratified by three-quarters of the state legislatures. The text succinctly states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.” Additionally, it prohibits anyone who has served more than two years of a term to which another person was elected from being elected president more than once.
A Long Shot Resolution
Throughout his campaign and presidency, Mr. Trump has occasionally speculated on the idea of a third term, often with a humorous tone. However, his recent remarks offered more detail, punctuated with the assertion: “A lot of people want me to do it.” When asked about the possibility of U.S. Vice President JD Vance running for president and then “passing the baton” to Mr. Trump as his running mate, he acknowledged, “Well, that’s one. But there are others too,” without providing specifics.
Yet, the 12th Amendment may obstruct such plans, declaring, “No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice president.” In January, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a long-shot resolution in the House of Representatives designed to allow a president who has served non-consecutive terms to run for a third term. Even a constitutional convention to amend the U.S. Constitution is viewed as an unlikely outcome.
Should Mr. Trump serve a third term, he would be 82 years and seven months old at the conclusion of his second term in January 2029, surpassing the record set by Democrat Joe Biden, who was 82 years and two months old when he left office in January.
As we navigate these intriguing political conversations, one thing remains clear: the road ahead is steeply guarded by constitutional and historical precedents.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring
