US President Donald Trump on Monday said he would “love to” serve a third term as president. Notably, the US Constitution clearly limits presidents to two terms.
Trump made the remark while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, according to CBS News. “I would love to do it,” he said when asked about running again in 2028. “I have my best numbers ever. It’s very terrible. I have my best numbers,” he added.
The 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution says that no person can be elected as president more than twice. However, Trump and many of his supporters have repeatedly hinted that he could find a way to serve another term. Some have even suggested a legal loophole that would allow him to return to the White House through the vice presidency.
Under this theory, Trump could run as the vice-presidential candidate of a “dummy” presidential nominee in 2028, such as Senator JD Vance, and then assume the presidency if that person resigned. Supporters argue that the 22nd Amendment only stops someone from being “elected” president, not from becoming president through succession.
However, legal experts say the idea is unconstitutional. The 12th Amendment states that “no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President.” This means that anyone who has already served two terms cannot be vice president either.
Trump himself dismissed the “dummy VP” idea, calling it “too cute.” He said, “I think the people wouldn’t like that. It’s too cute. It wouldn’t be right.”
Critics, however, fear Trump could still try to stay in power beyond his constitutional limits. California Governor Gavin Newsom warned last month that Trump might even refuse to hold elections in 2028. “I fear that we will not have an election in 2028,” Newsom said, calling it a “code red” for democracy.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
