President-elect Donald Trump told House Republicans he wouldn't pursue a third term unless they found a way to make it feasible while speaking at a conference in Washington, D.C. on November 13, 2024. He also joked about his possible re-election beyond a second term, sparking laughter from the crowd saying,
“I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s so good we’ve got to figure something else out.’”
As per the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, presidents are restricted to two full terms, with a maximum service of 10 years. This limit means a vice president who steps into the presidency for less than two years could still run for two additional terms. His comment has drawn reactions from social media users as one X user wrote,
“Yeah we’re not overthrowing democracy…”
Social media users mentioned that Trump was soft-launching his dictatorship while others were concerned that it would overthrow democracy:
“Soft launching his dictatorship,” a social media user commented.
“i don’t think he could “run” if he tried,” a netizen reacted.
“is he implying that he would run a third term and overthrow democracy,” another X user remarked.
Others pointed out that Trump’s tenure was already enough while netizens highlighted the seriousness of his statement:
“Imagine if a Democrat said this… those republicans would be rioting,” a person pointed out.
“Literally no one in their right mind would say that,” an online user added.
“He is not joking. He has been hinting about this for awhile. Considering his boy crush on dictators I am sure he imagines himself some kind of strongman. This is not a joking matter. It's damn scary!” an internet user explained.
“I think 4 years are already enough Donald,” a netizen mentioned.
Trump had previously mentioned that his 2024 campaign would be the last one
Trump had previously mentioned the idea of a three-term presidency. At the National Rifle Association convention in May 2024, he referenced Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only president to serve more than two terms, remarking, "FDR, 16 years, almost 16 years. He was four-term," and humorously questioning if he might be considered for a third term.
The 22nd Amendment was passed in 1947 and ratified in 1951, following Roosevelt's extended presidency. On November 5, 2024, just before voting for himself, the President-elect told reporters outside Mar-a-Lago that the 2024 campaign would likely be his last, as reported by The New York Times.
At his upcoming inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, Trump will become the 47th U.S. president and, by then, will have surpassed Joe Biden as the oldest president to hold office in U.S. history.
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During the House Republicans meeting, Trump expressed support for Speaker Mike Johnson, who was expected to be renominated as the leading Republican in the House. Also present at the gathering was Elon Musk, whom the Republican President-elect recently appointed to spearhead efforts to streamline and reduce the size of government.
Musk sat in the front row beside Johnson’s wife and received a standing ovation after Trump commended him. Later, the President-elect joked with lawmakers that Musk, who had become a frequent presence around him, simply seemed impossible to shake.
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