In a TV interview, US President Trump once again commented on a third term. This would violate the US constitution – according to Trump, there are “methods” to make it possible.
US President Donald Trump is flirting with a third term, although the US constitution only permits two terms. In a telephone interview with the news channel NBC, Trump said to a question: “I'm not joking”.
There are “methods” with which a third term could be possible. “A lot of people” wanted him to strive for a third term, said the President. But he tells them that “we have a long way to go in front of us, it is still very early in the government”.
He also did not rule out the scenario that his vice JD Vance run for the presidential office and then make room for Trump. According to the NBC, that was a method and added: “But there are others too.” Trump did not want to say exactly which methods are.
Third term in office violates the constitution
The 22nd constitutional addition from 1951 stipulates that nobody may be elected to the US president more than twice. However, Trump has been flirtation several times in recent months to want to stay in office longer. The opposition Democrats also fear that the Republican could try to interpret the constitution differently in order to rule longer. The legal world has also played through theories of how Trump could try.
The Republican Congressman Andy Ogles had brought an initiative to increase the term of office to three periods in January, but no realistic opportunities are included.
Popped Trump with the abolition of elections?
In January, Trump himself said that he did not know whether he was prohibited from a new candidacy for the presidency. The New York Times newspaper also reported that Trump had already said in front of Congress members in November that he would probably not run again – “unless she tells me: He is so good that we have to find a way”.
During his presidential election campaign, Trump even said at a meeting of conservative Christians in July that they would have to “no longer vote” if he won the election. It is unclear whether he specifically had the abolition of elections with this statement.
The next nationwide elections are planned for 2026. At the Midterm Elections for the US Congress, a third of the senators in the Senate and the entire House of Representatives are re-elected.
