Donald Trump says he's considering ways to serve a third term as president

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- President Donald Trump said Sunday that "I'm not joking" astir trying to service a 3rd term, the clearest denotation helium is considering ways to breach a law obstruction against continuing to pb the state aft his 2nd word ends successful aboriginal 2029.

"There are methods which you could bash it," Trump said successful a telephone interrogation with NBC News.

He besides said "it is acold excessively aboriginal to deliberation astir it."

The 22nd Amendment, added to the Constitution successful 1951 aft President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected 4 times successful a row, says "no idiosyncratic shall beryllium elected to the bureau of the President much than twice."

NBC's Kristen Welker asked Trump if 1 imaginable avenue to a 3rd word was having Vice President JD Vance tally for the apical occupation and "then walk the baton to you."

"Well, that's one," Trump responded. "But determination are others too. There are others."

"Can you archer maine another?" Welker asked successful the aboriginal greeting interview, earlier Trump near his Mar-a-Lago edifice to walk the time astatine his adjacent play course.

"No," Trump replied.

Vance's bureau did not instantly respond to a petition for remark from The Associated Press.

President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing successful ceremonial for Alina Habba arsenic interim US Attorney General for New Jersey, successful the Oval Office of the White House, March 28, 2025.

Pool via AP

Derek Muller, a prof of predetermination instrumentality astatine Notre Dame, noted that the 12th Amendment, which was ratified successful 1804, says "no idiosyncratic constitutionally ineligible to the bureau of President shall beryllium eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

Muller said that indicates that if Trump is not eligible to tally for president again due to the fact that of the 22nd Amendment, helium is not eligible to tally for vice president, either.

"I don't deliberation there's immoderate 'one weird trick' to getting astir statesmanlike word limits," Muller said.

In addition, pursuing a 3rd word would necessitate bonzer acquiescence by national and authorities officials, not to notation the courts and voters themselves.

He suggested that Trump is talking astir a 3rd word for governmental reasons to "show arsenic overmuch spot arsenic possible."

"A lame-duck president similar Donald Trump has each inducement successful the satellite to marque it look similar he's not a lame duck," helium said.

Trump, who would beryllium 82 astatine the extremity of his 2nd term, was asked whether helium would privation to support serving successful "the toughest occupation successful the country" astatine that point.

"Well, I similar working," the president said.

He suggested that Americans would spell on with a 3rd word due to the fact that of his popularity. He falsely claimed to person "the highest canvass numbers of immoderate Republican for the past 100 years."

Gallup information shows President George W. Bush reaching a 90% support standing aft the attacks connected Sept. 11, 2001. His father, President George H.W. Bush, deed 89% pursuing the Gulf War successful 1991.

Trump has maxed retired astatine 47% successful Gallup information during his 2nd term, contempt claiming to beryllium "in the precocious 70s successful galore polls, successful the existent polls."

Trump has mused earlier astir serving longer than 2 presumption before, mostly with jokes to affable audiences.

"Am I allowed to tally again?" helium said during a House Republican retreat successful January.

Representatives for the legislature enactment - House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., House Democratic person Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Democratic person Chuck Schumer of New York - did not instantly respond to requests for remark from the AP.