A Republican lawmaker broached the possiblity of a third Donald Trump presidency on Friday — introducing a House Joint Resolution to amend the US Constitution. 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
“Isn’t it nice to win? I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say: He’s so good we’ve got to figure something else out,” he had joked in November 2024.
The development came merely three days into the second Trump presidency — amid a barrage of policy changes. The Tennessee lawmaker however argued that Trump had "“has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness".
The proposed amendment however makes certain previous US Presidents such as Barack Obama (or Bill Clinton and George W Bush) ineligible as they served two consecutive terms. Joe Biden — while rather unlikely to contest — will theoretically remain eligible under the proposed change.
"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," the Amendment proposes.
The 22nd Amendment of the US constitution stipulates that no person will be elected to the office of President more than twice. Such an amendment must receive a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate before it can be sent to the Archivist of the United States. At least three-fourths of the US states (38 out of 50) must subsequently ratify the Amendment for it to become part of the Constitution.
While the existing rules bar any person from being elected President for a third term, it does not say anything about taking (or retaining) the White House by alternate means. Nine US Vice Presidents have served as the commander-in-chief without being elected — typically stepping up to the role when their predecessors died or resigned.
It is pertinent to note that the 22nd Amendment does not bar a President from being elected VP at a later date. Meanwhile the 12th Amendment insists that people who are ‘constitutionally ineligible’ to become President will also be automatically ineligible for the role of VP. However it is not clear whether the word “ineligibility” refers to the exiting two-term limitation here — making this a decision for the US Supreme Court. There is a slim possibility that Trump could contest the next election as a VP candidate and then assume the top role.
(With inputs from agencies)
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