Trump's third term: In what comes as the clearest indication of his desire to serve as the US President for a third term, US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that “I'm not joking” about trying to serve a third term. The latest comment comes as the most significant hint that Trump 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?” she asked. “No,” Trump replied.
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 earlier 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 per cent approval rating after the attacks on September 11, 2001. His father, President George H.W Bush, hit 89 per cent following the Gulf War in 1991.
Trump has maxed out at 47 per cent 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 before 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.
(With inputs from AP)
