WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is serious about the possibility of serving a third term, suggesting he is exploring ways to bypass the constitutional limit that prevents a president from serving more than two terms.
“I’m not joking,” Trump stated in a phone interview with NBC News. When asked about potential methods to extend his presidency beyond early 2029, he responded, “There are methods which you could do it,” though he also noted that “it is far too early to think about it.”
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four-term presidency, explicitly states that no person can be elected to the presidency more than twice. Despite this, Trump hinted at potential strategies, including a scenario where Vice President JD Vance could run and then transfer power back to him. “Well, that’s one,” Trump acknowledged. “But there are others too. There are others.” When pressed for another example, he declined to elaborate, responding only with, “No.”
If reelected, Trump would be 82 at the end of his second term. Asked whether he would want to continue serving in what is widely regarded as the most demanding job in the country, he responded, “Well, I like working.” He also claimed that public support for him would override constitutional restrictions, boasting, “I have the highest poll numbers of any Republican for the last 100 years.”
However, historical polling data contradicts his claim. Gallup data shows that President George W. Bush peaked at 90% approval after the September 11 attacks, while his father, President George H.W. Bush, reached 89% after the Gulf War. Trump’s highest recorded Gallup approval rating during his presidency was 47%, despite his assertion that he polls “in the high 70s in many polls, in the real polls.”
Trump has previously floated the idea of extending his time in office, often in a joking manner at rallies and events. At a House Republican retreat in January, he quipped, “Am I allowed to run again?” Now, his latest comments suggest he may be taking the idea more seriously.
