Just days after his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump has sparked speculation about a potential bid for a third term, despite constitutional restrictions prohibiting such a move.
Speaking at a gathering with House Republicans on Monday, Trump joked about his fundraising efforts and questioned whether he could use the funds for another presidential campaign.
“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 percent sure,” Trump said. “I think I’m not allowed to run again. Am I allowed to run again?”
Turning to House Speaker Mike Johnson, a former constitutional lawyer, Trump quipped, “Mike, I better not get you involved in that.” The comment was met with laughter from Johnson and other lawmakers present.
Although Trump has previously dismissed the notion of pursuing a third term, he has made light-hearted remarks suggesting openness to the idea since his re-election in 2024. During Monday’s event, he hinted, “I suspect I won’t be running again, unless you do something—unless you say, ‘he’s so good, we have to just figure it out.’”
The US Constitution’s 22nd Amendment explicitly limits presidents to two elected terms. However, last week, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles introduced a bill aimed at amending the Constitution to allow Trump to seek a third term.
Ogles defended the proposal, describing Trump as “the only figure in modern history capable of restoring America to greatness.”
Despite the light-hearted tone of Trump’s remarks, any attempt to overturn the constitutional two-term limit would require significant legislative hurdles, including approval by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
As the discussion unfolds, Trump’s comments are likely to fuel further debate about the future of presidential term limits in the United States.
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