WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has not ruled out the possibility of seeking a third term in the White House. The White House said it was banned by the constitution under the amendment to Article 22, and made it clear in an exclusive interview with NBC News that it was “not kidding.”
“I want a lot of people to do that,” Trump said in a Sunday morning phone call, referring to his allies on NBC News. “But I basically tell them we have a long way to go, that’s very early in the administration.”
“I’m focusing on the present,” Trump added in some of his broadest comments to date, and some of his broadest comments about serving his third term.
When asked if he wanted another term, the president replied, “I like to work.”
“I’m not kidding,” Trump said. “But I’m not – it’s too early to think about it.”
When asked if he was offered a plan to allow him to seek a third term, Trump said, “There’s a way you can do that.”
NBC News asked about a scenario in which Vice President JD Vance could run for office and hand over the role to Trump. “That’s one thing,” Trump replied.
“But there are other things,” Trump added.
Asked to share another way, Trump simply replied “No.”
It is extremely difficult to amend the Constitution to abolish the two-term restrictions, requiring that two-thirds of votes in Congress or two-thirds of states agree to invoke a constitutional treaty to propose changes. Both routes require ratification from three-quarters of the state.
The president pointed to his poll counts and said, “A lot of people want me.”
Trump has commented on running for his third term in office before, but Republicans consider these comments a joke and the president trolling his critics.
R-Tenn. Rep. Andy Ogles has written a resolution calling for an extension of the president’s term limit.
Meanwhile, Trump’s ally Steve Bannon said in an interview on News Nation that he believes Trump will “run again in 2028 and win.” In the same interview, Bannon said he thought there were “several options” when deciding how Trump could look for a third period, despite the biggest two terms to win the presidency.
The White House likened Trump’s comments to royalty and posted a photo of the cover of a fake magazine depicting the crown, with the president portraying the crown.
The White House post to X cited Trump’s previous comment on Truth Social, “The King’s Long Live!”
Peter Nicholas contributed.
