Donald Trump reveals ‘loopholes’ as he addresses running for third term
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics
Donald Trump has spoken on a ‘loophole’ which could see him run for a third presidential term, even though the US Constitution forbids it.
So, it’s virtually impossible for anyone to run for office a third time, however, Trump’s teasing of the idea could mean that there’s actually a way for him to do so.
Trump, who became president again in January for the second time, has gone on to talk about a certain ‘loophole’ which could allow him to run, despite what it says in America's 22nd Amendment.
This Amendment staunchly prohibits someone from running for more than two terms in office.
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Trump also recently claimed that he’s ‘not joking’ about his aim to run again.
He explained when he had a phone interview with NBC News last month that ‘there are methods’ of being about to get around the Constitution.
TIME Magazine then asked him about this, and he shared that there are ‘loopholes’ to the supreme law.
The publication asked him: “You recently said you were ‘not joking’ about seeking a third term and that there were methods to do it. What methods?”
To this, the president responded: "I'd rather not discuss that now, but as you know, there are some loopholes that have been discussed that are well known.
"But I don't believe in loopholes,” Trump shared. “I don't believe in using loopholes.”
This loophole that he talks about could be what US Representative Andy Ogles proposed of Trump's next term, as he suggested the law instead reads: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times, nor be elected to any additional term after being elected to two consecutive terms, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice."
This means that because there was a couple of years between Trump's first and second presidency, he could run for a second consecutive term.
However, do the people want Trump to run again?
Maybe not.
Trump's latest approval ratings were published by the Pew Research Center, showing that only 40 percent of poll participants approve of Trump's performance in office so far, and this number is down by seven percent compared to February.
But he could still do it, if he does in fact take advantage of any loopholes.
One of those methods could be if Vice President J.D. Vance wins the 2028 election on a Vance-Trump ticket and then resigns.
“I don’t know anything about, what, look, all I can say is this, I am being inundated with requests," Trump said. “I'm doing a good job.”
But even though he might want to run again, past comments he has made say the opposite.
In the past, TIME asked him whether he would 'challenge the 22nd Amendment’ and Trump allegedly said: “I'm going to serve one term. I'm going to do a great job, and I'm going to leave.”
So, when asked what changed his mind, he said: “Well, I’m serving two terms now.”
Then, he was asked if he meant ‘one in addition to the one you already served’ Trump said: “I have more people begging me to run again, but I haven't looked at even the possibility.
“But the only thing that's changed is they think I'm doing a great job, and they like the way I'm running the country.”