Donald Trump has long “joked” about a potential third term — only now he’s made it clear: he’s not joking.
In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump did not rule out the possibility of seeking a third term, telling the network there are “methods” for doing so and that “a lot of people want me to do it.”
“I’m not joking,” the president added.
A number of times over the last seven years, Trump has publicly talked about seeking more terms than the constitutional limit of two.
“China’s great and Xi is a great gentleman. He’s now president for life. No, he’s great. And look, he was able to do that,” Trump said back in March 2018. “I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll have to give that a shot someday.”
“We’re going to win four more years in the White House, and then after that, we’ll negotiate, right? Because we’re probably, based on the way we were treated, we’re probably entitled to another four after that,” Trump said at a rally in September 2020.
“FDR, 16 years — almost 16 years — he was four-term. I don’t know, are we gonna be considered three-term? Or two-term?” Trump pondered during his remarks at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual meeting in May 2024.
“Christians, get out and vote. Just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years — you know what? It’ll be fixed. It’ll be fine,” Trump said during a speech at the Turning Point Action summit in July 2024. “In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.”
After winning reelection, Trump reportedly told House Republicans in November 2024, “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say he’s so good, we got to figure something else out.”
“It will be the greatest honor of my life to serve, not once, but twice — or three times or four times,” Trump said at a Las Vegas rally on January 25.
“I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100% sure because, I don’t know. I think I’m not allowed to run again. I’m not sure. Am I allowed to run again, Mike?,” the president called out to House Speaker Mike Johnson during his address at the House GOP Issues Conference in Miami on January 27.
“And I do that despite the fact that they say I can’t run again,” Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 6. “Then somebody said, ‘I don’t think you can.’ Oh!”
Trump also raised the prospect of running for an unconstitutional third term at a White House event on February 20, asking the crowd, “Should I run again? You tell me.”
Upon receiving a positive reaction to that idea from the gathered group, Trump responded with a chuckle, “There’s your controversy right there.”
