Trump Says He's Considering Ways to Serve a Third Term as President
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump said Sunday that “I’m not joking” about trying to serve a third term, the clearest indication he is considering ways to breach a constitutional barrier against continuing to lead the country after his second term ends in early 2029.
“There are methods which you could do it,” Trump said in a telephone interview with NBC News.
He also said “it is far too early to think about it.”
The 22nd Amendment, which was added to the Constitution in 1951 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times in a row, says “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Trump if one potential avenue to a third term was having Vice President JD Vance run for the top job and “then pass the baton to you.”
“Well, that’s one,” Trump responded. “But there are others too. There are others.”
“Can you tell me another?” Welker asked.
“No,” Trump replied.
Vance’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.
Read More: For 2026, Trump Bolsters Young Upstarts to Carry MAGA Torch
Trump, who would be 82 at the end of his second term, was asked whether he would want to keep serving in “the toughest job in the country” at that point.
“Well, I like working,” the president said.
He suggested that Americans would go along with a third term because of his popularity. He falsely claimed to have “the highest poll numbers of any Republican for the last 100 years.”
Gallup data shows President George W. Bush reaching a 90% approval rating after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. His father, President George H.W. Bush, hit 89% following the Gulf War in 1991.
Trump has maxed out at 47% in Gallup data during his second term, despite claiming to be “in the high 70s in many polls, in the real polls.”
Trump has mused about serving longer than two terms before, generally with jokes to friendly audiences.
“Am I allowed to run again?” he said during a House Republican retreat in January.
Mighty and meek bid farewell to Pope Francis at a funeral where he is remembered as pope of the people
World leaders and Catholic faithful bade farewell to Pope Francis in a funeral Saturday that reflected his wishes as pastor.
Trump and Ukraine's Zelenskyy have 'very productive' meeting in Rome, says U.S. official
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a "very productive" meeting on Saturday in Rome, a White House official said.
Elon Musk's xAI Holdings in talks to raise $20 billion, Bloomberg News reports
The funding would value the company at over $120 billion, according to the Bloomberg report.
Chinese startup Leapmotor to supply EV platform to state-owned luxury carmaker's Hongqi brand
Leapmotor, a profitable upstart automaker in China's crowded EV market, will supply the underpinnings for a new EV model to the country's oldest auto brand.
Hegseth trying to show Trump he's a fighter amid chaos in Pentagon
Pete Hegseth wants Donald Trump to see him as a fighter amid the negative stories swirling around the defense secretary, two U.S. officials told NBC News.