In Washington, D.C., House Speaker Mike Johnson is tempering speculation about President Donald Trump’s potential pursuit of a third term, a move that would require amending the U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two elected terms. During a press conference on April 1, 2025, Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana and a constitutional law expert, acknowledges the public’s enthusiasm for Trump’s leadership, particularly in his first 100 days of his second term, but emphasizes the significant legal barriers to such an endeavor, calling it a “high bar.” Trump, who has repeatedly floated the idea of extending his presidency, tells NBC News on March 30, 2025, that he is “not joking” about exploring “methods” to serve beyond 2029, sparking a firestorm of debate about constitutional norms and democratic principles. As of 01:28 PM PDT on April 2, 2025, the conversation is intensifying, with legal scholars, lawmakers, and the public weighing in on the feasibility and implications of altering presidential term limits.
Johnson’s comments come in response to Trump’s persistent musings about a third term, which have escalated since his re-election in November 2024 against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, Johnson says, “There’s a constitutional path: you have to amend the Constitution to do it, and that’s a high bar.” He notes that while he and Trump have “joked” about the idea, the president “recognizes the constitutional limitations,” and there is no immediate momentum to amend the Constitution. Johnson adds that he understands why many Americans support the idea, pointing to Trump’s accomplishments in his first 100 days, which include signing the Laken Riley Act to enhance border security, issuing executive orders on election integrity, and advancing economic policies aimed at reducing inflation. “I understand why so many Americans do wish he could run for a third term, because he’s accomplished so much in this first 100 days that they wish it could go on for much longer,” Johnson remarks, reflecting a sentiment echoed by Trump’s base.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, explicitly states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” a measure enacted in response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four-term presidency from 1933 to 1945. Roosevelt, the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms, dies shortly after his fourth inauguration, prompting Congress to formalize term limits to prevent what some critics called an “elective monarchy.” The amendment, proposed in 1947, is a reaction to concerns over concentrated executive power, particularly after Roosevelt’s tenure, which, while popular, draws accusations of dictatorial ambitions. Legal historian Noah Rosenblum of New York University tells CBS News that the two-term limit is one of the “most deeply embedded norms in American democratic culture,” tracing back to George Washington’s voluntary departure after two terms in 1797, a precedent broken only by Roosevelt.
Trump’s interest in a third term is not new. During his first term from 2017 to 2021, he frequently jokes about extending his presidency, often citing leaders like China’s Xi Jinping, who abolished term limits in 2018. After losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden—an outcome Trump still claims was “rigged”—he intensifies his rhetoric, telling supporters in Las Vegas in January 2025, “It will be the greatest honor of my life to serve not once, but twice or three times or four times.” His comments take a more serious tone in a March 30, 2025, NBC News interview from Mar-a-Lago, where he says, “There are methods which you could do it,” though he adds, “It is far too early to think about it.” Trump’s allies, including former campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, now a senior policy adviser for the American Family Association, fuel the speculation, with Ellis stating on March 31, 2025, that if the Constitution is amended, Trump is “likely very much considering” a third run.
The push for a third term gains traction among some Republicans. On January 23, 2025, Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN) introduces a House Joint Resolution to amend the 22nd Amendment, proposing that presidents be allowed to serve up to three terms, with a caveat barring a third consecutive term. Ogles argues that Trump “has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness,” citing the economic and social challenges under the Biden administration, including a 20% inflation spike and border security issues. The resolution, however, faces steep odds, as amending the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, followed by ratification by three-quarters of the states (38 out of 50). With Republicans holding a slim three-seat majority in the House and a narrow Senate majority, and Democrats largely opposed, the proposal is unlikely to advance. A second, less common path—calling a constitutional convention if two-thirds of state legislatures (34 out of 50) agree—is also being discussed by Trump allies like Shane Trejo, who organizes the “Third Term Project” at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2025, but this route has never been used to ratify any of the Constitution’s 27 amendments.
Democrats are quick to respond. On November 13, 2024, Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY) introduces a resolution reaffirming that the 22nd Amendment applies to non-consecutive terms, explicitly stating it applies to Trump. Goldman, who served as lead counsel during Trump’s first impeachment, warns that Trump’s comments are not jokes but “trial balloons” to test public reaction, telling Bloomberg TV, “He’s been talking about staying on past this next term for years.” The resolution, which has little chance of a vote under Johnson’s leadership, underscores Democratic concerns about Trump’s history of challenging constitutional norms, including his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his recent executive order to end birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment. Constitutional law professor Michele Goodwin of Georgetown tells The Independent that such actions cannot be undone “with the stroke of a pen,” highlighting the legal constraints Trump faces.
Legal experts are skeptical of Trump’s prospects. Derek Muller, an election law professor at Notre Dame, tells CBS News there is no “one weird trick” to bypass term limits, noting that the 12th Amendment, ratified in 1804, bars anyone ineligible for the presidency from serving as vice president, closing a potential loophole where Trump could ascend through the vice presidency. Laurence Tribe, a constitutional law professor emeritus at Harvard, predicts the Supreme Court—even with its 6-3 conservative majority, including three Trump appointees—would unanimously uphold the 22nd Amendment, stating, “This Court would vote nine to nothing that the 22nd Amendment is what it says and means what it was intended to mean.” However, Michael Klarman, a legal historian at Harvard, expresses caution, citing the Court’s 2024 ruling on presidential immunity, which grants broad protections to Trump, suggesting the judiciary’s deference to him could embolden unconventional strategies.
Trump’s allies propose several theoretical paths to a third term, as outlined by Politico in January 2025. These include amending the Constitution, exploiting a perceived loophole in the 22nd Amendment that prohibits election but not service as president (e.g., through vice-presidential succession), ignoring the Constitution outright, or defying it through political pressure on courts and state officials. Mila Versteeg, a University of Virginia law professor who studied 234 heads of state globally, notes that one-third of leaders in the 21st century have circumvented term limits, often by exploiting weak institutions, as seen with leaders like Vladimir Putin in Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey—both of whom Trump admires. However, Versteeg cautions that the U.S.’s stronger rule of law makes such a move less likely, though not impossible.
The historical context of presidential term limits adds depth to the debate. Before Roosevelt, several presidents sought third terms but failed, including Ulysses S. Grant in 1880 and Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, while Woodrow Wilson considers it in 1920 but is sidelined by a stroke. George Washington’s two-term precedent, set in 1797, becomes an unwritten norm until Roosevelt’s tenure during the Great Depression and World War II prompts the 22nd Amendment. Critics of Trump’s third-term talk, like J. Michael Luttig, a retired federal appeals court judge appointed by George H.W. Bush, argue there is “no argument whatsoever” that Trump can be elected again, calling the idea a direct violation of constitutional intent.
Public sentiment, as reflected in posts on X, is divided. Some users support the idea, with one stating, “Many Americans wish he could run for a third term because Trump accomplished so much in his first 100 days.” Others view it as a dangerous precedent, with a user noting, “The 22nd Amendment bans it, and amending the Constitution is nearly impossible.” Trump’s comments also draw international attention, with RT reporting on April 1, 2025, that Johnson acknowledges a “constitutional path” but stresses the difficulty of achieving it.
Breaking news updates as of 01:28 PM PDT on April 2, 2025, indicate that Trump has not addressed Johnson’s remarks directly, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, during a briefing on April 1, defends Trump’s deportation policies, tying them to his broader “America First” agenda, which some see as a signal of his intent to maintain influence beyond 2029. Additionally, the Senate Armed Services Committee is set to question Trump’s nominee for the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff this week, with discussions likely to touch on the administration’s long-term plans, including any potential push for constitutional changes.
The debate over Trump’s third term underscores broader tensions in American democracy. His first 100 days, marked by aggressive policy moves like mass deportation flights and tariff threats, have galvanized his base but also deepened partisan divides. Johnson’s downplaying of the third-term talk may be an attempt to refocus on immediate legislative priorities, such as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiatives led by Elon Musk, which aim to cut federal spending. However, Trump’s history of challenging democratic norms—most notably his refusal to concede the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot—raises concerns among critics that his third-term rhetoric is more than mere posturing. For now, the constitutional “high bar” remains a formidable obstacle, but Trump’s persistence in floating the idea ensures that the conversation will continue to shape the political landscape as his second term unfolds.
Sources:
- Video: https://youtu.be/9JL04zK6_Ko
- CBS News, “Trump says he’s looking for ways to serve a third term as president,” April 1, 2025
- Spectrum Local News, “House speaker says constitutional amendment could enable a third Trump term,” April 1, 2025
- CNBC, “Constitutional amendment to allow Trump third term introduced in the House,” January 23, 2025
- The Independent, “Mike Johnson throws cold water on Trump’s musings about a third term for president,” April 1, 2025
- The New York Times, “Democrat Moves to Clarify the 22nd Amendment After Trump Refers to Running for Third Term,” November 13, 2024
- Politico, “How Trump Could Snatch a Third Term — Despite the 22nd Amendment,” January 31, 2025
- CBS News, “As Trump says ‘there are methods’ for serving a third term, here’s what to know about the 12th and 22nd Amendments,” April 1, 2025
- Newsweek, “Republican Floats Constitutional Amendment to Allow Donald Trump a Third Term,” January 23, 2025
- Time, “Trump Keeps Teasing a Third Term—What to Know,” February 14, 2025
- NBC News, “Trump teases a third term, but the 22nd amendment forbids it,” March 31, 2025
- AP News, “Trump says he’s considering ways to serve a third term as president,” March 30, 2025
- Salon, “He recognizes the limitations: Johnson thinks Trump third-term talk is hot air,” April 1, 2025
- NBC News, “Trump jokes about running for a third term in speech to House Republicans,” January 27, 2025
- Goldman.House.gov, “ICYMI: As Ears Perk Up to Trump’s Desire for a Third Term, Congressman Dan Goldman in November Introduced a Resolution Reaffirming Support,” February 12, 2025
- NY1, “After Trump remark, congressman introducing resolution to clarify 22nd Amendment,” November 14, 2024
- NBC New York, “Constitutional amendment to allow Trump third term introduced in the House,” January 23, 2025
- People, “Republican Congressman Moves to Amend Constitution So Donald Trump Can Run for Third Term,” January 24, 2025
