Can Donald Trump be elected as US President for a third term? What forbids him and what are his other options

Donald Trump’s second term has only just begun, but he and his allies have already started hinting at the possibility of a third. In January, Congressman Andy Ogles noted that the change would allow the newly appointed POTUS to remain in the White House well beyond his 2029 term. Trump has also joked about a possible third term on several occasions.

Here’s what the US Constitution say

The 22nd Amendment states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” a clear restriction enacted after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected four times, with his final term in 1944.

According to a report by Fortune, because the ban applies to being “elected” more than twice, Trump could run as a vice-presidential candidate, then assume the presidency if his running mate resigned. This would be a complex strategy, complicated further by the fact that Trump would be 82 at the time of the next election—making him older than Joe Biden was during his 2020 campaign.

Can the 22nd Amendment be changed?

Furthermore, changing or repealing the 22nd Amendment would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate, along with ratification by three-quarters of the states. No amendment has been ratified since the 1990s, and that one was first proposed in the 1700s.

Also Read: ‘Give President Trump a third term’: Congressman proposes to amend US Constitution

The last amendment to be ratified before that was the 26th Amendment in the 1960s, during the Vietnam War era, which lowered the voting age to 18.

What did Trump supporters say?

Even among Trump supporters, there’s opposition to the idea of altering the Constitution to benefit him, highlighting the challenges of such a significant constitutional change.

According to a report by CNN, Senator Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, dismissed Trump’s comments, saying he views them “as a joke, not being literal.” He added, “I’m not changing the Constitution, first of all, unless — unless the American people choose to do that.”

Several reports mentioned that even if Trump pursued this plan, state election officials and courts would likely intervene. They have historically disqualified candidates who fail to meet constitutional requirements, such as being a natural-born US citizen or at least 35 years old. It’s expected they’d do the same for anyone violating the presidential term limit.

(With inputs from agencies)