What Trump has stated about pursuing a 3rd time period
Washington — President Trump gave the clearest indication but this week that he’s methods to serve a 3rd time period in workplace, although the Structure bars any individual from being elected greater than two occasions.
The president advised NBC Information in an interview Sunday that he is “not joking” about in search of one other time period in workplace, after repeatedly publicly musing in regards to the risk in current months. He additionally stated that regardless of the constitutional limitations, “there are strategies which you can do it.”
Trump supporters like former strategist Steve Bannon have referred to as on the president to run once more, and Rep. Andy Ogles, a Tennessee Republican, launched a decision earlier this 12 months to amend the Structure to permit Mr. Trump to be elected to a different time period. Senate Majority Chief John Thune additionally stated of Mr. Trump’s prospects of serving a 3rd time period, “not and not using a change within the Structure.” He advised reporters, “I feel that you simply guys preserve asking the query and … I feel he’s having some enjoyable with it, in all probability messing with you.”
Consultants say altering the Structure is extraordinarily unlikely. Election regulation students raised the chance that discuss of a 3rd time period, no matter its probability, could operate as a present of power to attempt to stave off the notion that Mr. Trump is a lame-duck president.
This is a timeline of Mr. Trump’s feedback on a 3rd time period:
September 2020
Mr. Trump flirted with further time in workplace past two phrases when he sought reelection in 2020. Throughout a rally in Minden, Nevada, the president predicted he would win 4 extra years within the White Home, and even steered that he may go on to a different time period after his second.
“We’ll win 4 extra years within the White Home. After which after that, we’ll negotiate, proper?” Mr. Trump stated. “As a result of we’re in all probability, based mostly on the best way we had been handled, we’re in all probability entitled to a different 4 after that.”
January 2025
Shortly after returning to workplace, Mr. Trump once more made reference to a different time period at a rally in Las Vegas on Jan. 25.
“Will probably be the best honor of my life to serve, not as soon as however twice — or thrice or 4 occasions,” Trump quipped to applause from the gang, earlier than including that “no, it will likely be to serve twice.”
Then on Jan. 27, Mr. Trump joked to Republican lawmakers a couple of third time period. Talking earlier than the Home GOP convention in Florida, Mr. Trump touted the cash he’d raised for an additional race that he stated “I assume I am unable to use for myself.”
“However I am not 100% certain as a result of, I do not know,” the president continued, to laughter from Home Republicans. “I feel I am not allowed to run once more. I am undecided. Am I allowed to run once more?”
February 2025
On the Nationwide Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 6, Mr. Trump stated, “They are saying I am unable to run once more — that is the expression.”
“Then someone stated, ‘I do not assume you possibly can.’ Oh,” the president added.
On Feb. 20, the president once more joked about an extra time period at a White Home occasion to mark Black Historical past Month, as he celebrated the assist he noticed from Black Individuals within the 2024 election.
“Ought to I run once more? You inform me,” Trump stated, as supporters chanted, “4 extra years!”
March 2025
In an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker on March 30, Mr. Trump stated, “I am not joking” about serving a 3rd time period, and for the primary time talked about an consciousness of potential paths.
“There are strategies which you can do it,” Mr. Trump stated in a cellphone interview, including that “it’s far too early to consider it.”
The president pointed to his favorability ranking and steered that Individuals would really like him to serve a 3rd time period. Mr. Trump advised Welker, “I’ve had extra individuals say, ‘please run once more,'” whereas noting “‘we have now a protracted solution to go earlier than we even take into consideration that.” On Air Drive One Sunday evening, he spoke with reporters and briefly addressed questions on a 3rd time period and reiterated that it is nonetheless a distant consideration.
“Regardless of the way you have a look at it, we have a very long time to go. We now have a very long time. You already know, we have now virtually 4 years to go,” Mr. Trump advised reporters. “However regardless of that, so many individuals are saying, ‘you have to run once more.’ They love the job.”
Whereas talking to reporters on Monday within the Oval Workplace, Mr. Trump denied that he has ever seemed into operating for an additional time period.
“Individuals are asking me to run,” he stated. “There’s a complete story about operating for a 3rd time period. I do not know. I by no means seemed into it. They do say there is a method you are able to do it. However I do not learn about that. However I’ve not seemed into it.”
Mr. Trump was additionally requested whether or not it will open the door to Democrats operating former President Barack Obama, who served two consecutive phrases, in opposition to him.
“I would love that,” Mr. Trump stated. “That might be a superb one. I would like that.”
Caitlin Yilek
contributed to this report.
