US President Donald Trump has said that he is not dismissing the idea of pursuing a third term in the White House.
During a phone interview with NBC News on Sunday, he said, "I'm not joking" about the possibility, despite the fact that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution prohibits such an action.
Trump mentioned that many of his supporters are encouraging him to consider it, but he emphasized that it is still early in his current administration.
He expressed his focus on the present while acknowledging his enjoyment of work.
When pressed about the feasibility of a third term, he hinted at potential methods to achieve it, including a scenario where Vice President JD Vance could run for office and then pass the role to him, although he declined to elaborate further.
Changing the Constitution to eliminate the two-term limit would be a challenging process, requiring significant political consensus. Trump also noted that his poll numbers suggest a considerable desire among the public for him to serve again, although many Republicans view his comments on the matter as lighthearted or a way to provoke his critics.
Stelter highlighted on X that Trump's assertion regarding his desire for an unconstitutional third term is based on an "inflated sense" of his own popularity.
Congressman Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York, reiterated his previous statement that Trump was serious about pursuing such a term, emphasizing that this represents a significant escalation in Trump's ongoing attempts to undermine the government and erode democratic principles.
In a post on X, Goldman challenged congressional Republicans to publicly oppose Trump's aspirations, asserting that true belief in the Constitution necessitates a stand against these ambitions.
Additionally, Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, remarked that Trump's perspective on a potential third term aligns with the behavior typically associated with 'dictators.'