Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of running for an unconstitutional third term as president, but it’s never clear how seriously he’s actually considering it, and some of his allies have insisted the president — who has likened himself to a king — is joking. Asked about it in the NBC interview, Trump insisted “I’m not joking.” He just says it’s too early to make that call.
“A lot of people want me to do it,” he said. “But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration. I’m focused on the current.”
But Trump also sounded convinced that he could have another term if he wanted one:
When asked whether he has been presented with plans to allow him to seek a third term, Trump said, “There are methods which you could do it.” NBC News asked about a possible scenario in which Vice President JD Vance would run for office and then pass the role to Trump. Trump responded that “that’s one” method. “But there are others, too,” Trump added.
To be clear, there aren’t multiple methods for Trump to be able to serve a third term. There’s only one method: win another election after repealing the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Some of Trump’s allies support making that change, but there’s no chance that will happen.
When Welker asked Trump why he’d want another term, he replied, “I like working.”
Trump also presumably wasn’t joking when he said Sunday night his third term would actually be his fourth term:
