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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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President Donald Trump told House Republicans on Tuesday during his remarks at the annual policy retreat that he's "not allowed" to run for a third term.
Trump said during his 90-minute speech, "I could have the most unbelievable four years. I guess I'm not allowed to run... I'm not sure, is there a little something out there I'm not allowed to run? Let's assume I was allowed to run. I could have," he laughed, then added, "This is going to be a constitutional movement."
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Why It Matters
Trump and his supporters have toyed with the idea of him securing a third term in the past, in part over the claims he won the 2020 election and was not allowed to take office. Those claims have been proved false. The two-term limit for U.S. presidents was set in 1951, through the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, after Franklin D. Roosevelt died during his fourth term, despite a long-running tradition of presidents only serving two terms.
What To Know
Last month, the White House responded to reports that Trump privately discussed running for a third term with his former attorney. Trump talked about the idea of a Constitution-breaking third term with his longtime legal adviser, Alan Dershowitz, who has drafted a book specifically exploring this issue, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Responding to the reports, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said: “There has never been an Administration that has accomplished as much in less than one year than the Trump Administration. The American people would be lucky to have President Trump in office for even longer.”
Trump's comments Tuesday reflected similar messages he had given in the past: that he knows he cannot run again, but would like to.
The 22nd Amendment, which became part of the U.S. Constitution in 1951, states: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, 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 once."
The 12th Amendment also prevents a person ineligible to be president from running for vice president.
Trump could only retain power for a third term if he managed to convince Congress to amend the Constitution. Such a move would need a supermajority or two-thirds in both the House and the Senate, a difficult political feat. Either way, the amendment would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of U.S. states.
Trump also told Republican House members that they needed to win the midterms later this year, or else he could be impeached by the Democrats if they take back control of Congress.
His 90-minute speech on Tuesday covered other familiar talking points, including attacks on Democrats, the border, and transgender athletes. He also addressed his recent actions in Venezuela and urged lawmakers to take control of the health care issue.
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What People Are Saying
Baltimore University Law Professor Kimberly Wehle previously told Newsweek: "States each decide who gets on their presidential ballots, not the federal government. Ultimately, it’s the party that makes the nomination. If enough states put him on the ballot, the GOP will obviously nominate him—it has put no checks on his illegal behavior whatsoever this far, so it cannot be expected to choose the 22nd Amendment over him."
Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser, told The Economist in October: "He's going to get a third term...so Trump is going to be president in 2028. And people just ought to get accommodated with that.”
What Happens Next
While the possibility of a third term appears to still be on Trump's mind, his next big focus will be November's midterms. On Tuesday, he and House Speaker Mike Johnson sought to bring GOP members together around policy points, as the party's majority narrowed further following the resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene and the death of California Representative Doug LaMalfa.
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