‘Bring It On!’: Donald Trump’s Desire for a Third Term Backfires as Movement for Barack Obama’s Return Gains Steam
A MAGA congressman has introduced a bill to amend the 22nd Amendment, which prohibits presidents from seeking a third term. All that was missing was Donald Trump declaring he wanted another four years in office.
Sunday, on “Meet the Press,” the president hinted he might just do that.
“You know, a lot of people would like me to do that,” Trump told “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker. “But, I mean, I basically tell them, we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.”
Very early, as in not even three months into his second term.
And he’s right that “people” would like it – whether that constitutes “a lot” may be stretching it. But what is your definition of “a lot?”
More than 77 million Americans voted for Trump in 2024. Not all of them were Republicans. but most were. And new Vanderbilt University poll found that, for the first time, more than half of registered Republicans now identify as MAGA voters, which means they’re probably ride or die with the famous real estate developer.
So it’s safe to say “millions” would be fine with Trump circumventing the Constitution to stay in office. That’s a lot. But not as much as the 75 million voters who cast their ballot for Kamala Harris. It’s fair to assume a large majority of that bloc would not even consider voting for Trump in 2028.
“I hope everyone understands this isn’t a drill,” posted one Democratic state lawmaker on X. “He is serious and his people will try to make it happen, even if they say otherwise right now.”
Added former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, “NO, NBC NEWS, YOU IDIOTS: Trump isn’t ‘joking’ about stealing an unconstitutional 3rd Term He’s been deadly serious since 11/8/2023 when we first mentioned it on this podcast. You clowns were too gullible to notice.”
“The whole point of the 22nd amendment was to keep us from becoming authoritarian and so that not one person could have that much power,” wrote another Trump critic. “Trump, in true wannabe dictator fashion, wants to ignore just as he likes to ignore laws and basic human decency.”
The 22nd Amendment clearly states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.”
Bannon, host of a popular MAGA podcast, has “already endorsed” Trump for president in 2028. Asked recently how Trump will be allowed to seek an unconstitutional third term, Bannon responded, “We’ll have a couple of alternatives.”
One could be amending the Constitution, as Tennessee Republican congressman Andy Ogles has proposed. His bill would codify Bannon’s belief that the third term ban only applies if a president served two consecutive terms. Such a plan would need to clear several extremely high hurdles, starting with the passing the bill with at least 66.7 percent of votes on both the House and Senate, which is not realistic.
Ogles’ bill would allow any president to serve a third term if their first two terms were non-consecutive. In American history only two presidents met that threshold: Donald Trump and Grover Cleveland, who lost his re-election bid to Benjamin Harrison in 1888 but won a rematch four years later.
Constitutional experts were not impressed.
Anthony Michael Kreis, a constitutional law professor at Georgia State University, told Newsweek the idea Trump can seek a third term is not “remotely debatable.”
On Sunday, Welker asked the president, “Have you been presented with any potential plans that would allow you to serve a third term?”
Trump responded, “there are plans. There are – not plans. There are, there are methods which you could do it, as you know.”
Welker then asked Trump whether he was serious about the prospect.
“Sir, I’m hearing – you don’t sound like you’re joking,” Welker said. “I’ve heard you joke about this a number of times.”
“No, no, I’m not joking,” Trump responded. “I’m not joking … But, I’m not – it is far too early to think about it.”
“Would you want to serve a third term, sir?” Welker asked.
“Well, I like working,” Trump replied.
Changing the U.S. Constitution isn’t exactly a walk in the park—it’s more like an Olympic obstacle course with a 0.2% success rate.
First, Congress has to wrangle a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate and then three-fourths of state legislatures (38 out of 50) must sign off—or, alternatively, three-fourths of state conventions, which has only happened once.
There’s also the mythical “Constitutional Convention” route, where two-thirds of states call for a convention to propose changes, but that’s never actually been used—probably because no one wants to open that can of worms. With only 27 amendments in over 230 years, the odds of a new one passing are about as slim as Congress agreeing on lunch.
Some Democrats suggested that if Trump could seek a third term, why not Barack Obama?
“If Trump wants to eliminate the 22nd Amendment, I am thrilled,” wrote one former Obama voter. If Trump can run for a 3rd term so can President Obama! Game f—ing on!
Said another, “I will support President Obama to run for a 3rd term if the Orange Scumbag is allowed to run again. Apparently, the 22nd Amendment means nothing anymore.”