Former President Donald Trump has suggested there are ways to bypass the constitutional two-term limit on the U.S. presidency, reigniting debates about executive power and constitutional law.
In an interview aired on NBC, Trump was questioned about his previous remarks regarding extending his time in office beyond a potential second term. While he has often made such statements in a seemingly jocular manner, this time he insisted he was serious.
“There are methods which you could do it,” Trump told host Kristen Welker. He initially mentioned “plans” but then corrected himself, reiterating, “There are methods – as you know.”
Speculation Over a Constitutional Loophole
Welker referenced a theory circulated among some Trump supporters, which proposes a strategy where Trump could run as vice president in the 2028 election alongside a running mate such as JD Vance. If they won, the elected president could resign immediately after being sworn in, allowing Trump to assume office through the line of succession.
The argument hinges on a perceived loophole in the 22nd Amendment, which explicitly prohibits a president from being “elected” more than twice but does not explicitly bar someone from assuming the presidency through succession. However, legal experts have largely dismissed this idea.
Election law professor Derek Muller of Notre Dame pointed out that the 12th Amendment states, “No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice president.” This interpretation suggests that if Trump is ineligible to be elected president again due to the 22nd Amendment, he would also be ineligible to serve as vice president.
“I don’t think there’s any ‘one weird trick’ to getting around presidential term limits,” Muller said.
When pressed for other methods he had in mind, Trump declined to elaborate, saying only, “There are others too. There are others.”
Trump’s ‘King’ Remarks and Push for a Third-Term Amendment
Trump’s latest comments follow his past statements likening himself to a king. In February, after signing an executive order to rescind New York City’s congestion pricing program, he posted on Truth Social: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” The White House amplified the message by sharing a digitally altered Time magazine cover depicting Trump in a golden crown with the New York City skyline behind him.
Meanwhile, Republican Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a resolution in January advocating for a constitutional amendment that would permit a president to serve three terms, provided they were not consecutive. Under this proposal, former presidents like Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, who each served two consecutive terms, would remain ineligible, while Trump, having lost re-election in 2020 but won in 2016 and 2024, could potentially return.
However, the resolution faces enormous hurdles. Amending the Constitution requires two-thirds approval in both the House and Senate, as well as ratification by three-quarters of state legislatures. Given the political landscape, such a change remains highly unlikely.
Divisions Among Republicans
Not all Republicans back the idea of modifying presidential term limits. Following Trump’s “king” remarks, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin rejected any notion of supporting an unconstitutional third term.
“I’m not changing the Constitution, first of all, unless the American people choose to do that,” Mullin told NBC.
The 22nd Amendment was ratified in 1951 in response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term presidency during the Great Depression and World War II. The amendment ensures no president serves more than two terms, a limit that has remained unchallenged—until now.
Trump’s recent statements signal an ongoing interest in testing these boundaries, raising questions about how far he and his supporters might go to explore alternative paths to power.
