Trump says he’s serious about possible third presidential term

Former U.S. President Donald Trump reignited debate over presidential term limits on Sunday by again raising the possibility of seeking a third term—something that would directly contradict the U.S. Constitution’s two-term limit. During a phone interview with NBC News, Trump insisted he was serious about the idea, saying there are ways it could be done, although he declined to go into detail.

This isn’t the first time Trump has floated the idea of extending his time in office beyond the constitutional limit, but his latest comments — including those made aboard Air Force One later in the day — were among the clearest indications that he’s entertaining concrete methods to pursue a third term.

Proposed Paths and Political Reality

Trump, currently serving his second non-consecutive term, suggested that supporters have been urging him to stay beyond January 20, 2029, the scheduled end of his presidency. He mentioned he has seen potential plans that would allow him to extend his time in office, including one scenario in which Vice President JD Vance could run for president and later step aside. Trump called that approach “one way,” but hinted that there are others under consideration.

To legally pursue a third term, the U.S. Constitution would need to be amended—an extremely difficult task. Changing the Constitution requires either a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress or a constitutional convention initiated by two-thirds of state legislatures. Any amendment must then be ratified by three-quarters of the states.

Currently, Republicans do not control enough seats in Congress or state legislatures to initiate such a change, making the possibility of an amendment highly unlikely.

In an early sign of efforts to test the waters, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a joint resolution in January proposing an amendment to allow U.S. presidents to serve up to three terms. However, the resolution faces long odds and has not gained significant traction.