Seriously?

Talk of another Trump term won’t go away

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) shows off Trump 2028 merch. Credit: Getty Images

You would be hard-pressed to find a more unpopular idea in much of the country than Donald Trump running for a third term. Even less popular would be him winning. It is a notion, however, that Trump won’t let go of, despite his legally mandated expiry date from the White House of January 20, 2029. That’s 1180 days from today. But who’s counting?

The Constitution is crystal clear. A president of the United States is forbidden from seeking a third term in office. The 22nd Amendment states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Period.

The 22nd Amendment was passed by Congress in 1947 in response to Franklin Roosevelt winning an unprecedented fourth term. It was established to prevent one person from amassing too much power. The Amendment is one of our government’s most important bulwarks against dictatorship.

Trump, whose regard for the Constitution is whisper thin, has bandied about the idea of a third term since his first term, when he joked about being “president for life.”

On Election Day last November, a reporter asked if 2024 would be his last campaign. “I would think so,” Trump replied. On that day, Trump became the oldest president ever elected at 78 years old. He would be 82 in 2029.

In February, he asked a crowd of supporters, “Should I run again? You tell me.”

In May, he told NBC News he wasn’t considering another run. But his ego couldn’t leave it at that. “I will say this, so many people want me to do it. I have never had requests so strong as that. But it’s something that, to the best of my knowledge, you’re not allowed to do.” Correct. And that was a rare moment of truth from Trump.

“Trump 2028” chatter heated up again last week when Trump ultra-loyalist, MAGA podcaster and provocateur Steve Bannon was asked about the possibility. In Bannon’s “alternative-facts” universe, Trump can defy the Constitution and remain president beyond this term. He told The Economist, “Trump is going to be president in ’28, and people just ought to get accommodated with that.”

Bannon went on to claim that there are “many different alternatives” for Trump to circumvent the 22nd Amendment, and he knows what they are. “At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is. But there is a plan,” Bannon promised. It is not clear who “we” are or what the plan is.

Apparently spurred by Bannon’s reckless disclosures to The Economist, Trump on Sunday reposted his own 2019 video of a doctored Time Magazine cover with “Trump 2028” and “Trump 2032” yard signs, ending with “Trump 4EVA.”

One of the “alternative” ways Trump considered getting around that pesky 22nd Amendment is to have him run as vice president. Once in office, the sacrificial lamb who ran as president would step aside, allowing Trump to assume the presidency for a third time. He dismissed this plan when asked about it Monday on Air Force One.

“I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute. Yeah, I would rule that out because it’s too cute. I think the people wouldn’t like that. It’s too cute. It’s not… it wouldn’t be right.” Once again, correct.

But, he refused to rule out a third term. “I would love to do it. I have the best numbers ever.” Actually, he doesn’t. His popularity is near the lowest point of his second term. According to the Silver Bulletin polling average, Trump’s net approval is way underwater at -9.5.

“Am I not ruling it out? I mean you’ll have to tell me.”

Although the third term talk has been labeled by many as a joke and an attempt to troll Democrats, Trump is already cashing in on the idea. His official website currently offers a selection of Trump 2028 merchandise, including hats, t-shirts, and beer can coolers.

Most congressional Republicans have stayed away from the unsurprisingly unpopular idea. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told CNN in September, “I think the Constitution speaks to that issue, and I think it’s pretty plain.”

As far as Trump is concerned, it almost doesn’t matter who says what as long as people keep talking about it. It keeps them guessing and keeps Trump relevant. After the midterm elections, presidents in the second half of their second term become lame ducks. They are short-timers with lessening political clout. Both states of being are anathema to Trump. His entire persona is predicated on the power of his staying power.

So while the probability of his achieving a third term appears to be beyond slim right now, to Trump, it’s the possibility of it that matters most.

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Stay Steady,
Dan