All U.S. presidents are limited to two terms in office by the Constitution, according to the 22nd Amendment. The amendment was put in place to prevent any American president from becoming too powerful.
However, Donald Trump may just be the one to run — and win — a third presidential term, according to ex-White House strategist Steve Bannon in an unsettling prediction. Trump is currently serving his second term — which should be his final — after first winning back in November 2016.
Bannon, who served in Trump’s administration during his first term and is the current host of the podcast War Room, appeared on NewsNation where he revealed just how Trump could defy all odds for an unconstitutional third term.
Bannon denied allegations that he’s considering a 2028 bid for the White House himself on March 18 to Chris Cuomo, but that instead he’s “already endorsed” Trump in the next election. When asked how Trump could possibly do that, considering he would have served two terms already, Bannon declared: “We’ll have a couple of alternatives.”
“Let’s say that,” Bannon continued. “We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see what the definition of term limit is.”
“We’re in the middle of a 1932-type realignment if we can continue to have populist nationalist policies,” Bannon, who calls himself a “huge believer in democracy,” said. “We have African-Americans coming to our side. We have Hispanics coming to our side.” Bannon added how “A man like this comes along once every century, if we’re lucky. We’ve got him now.”
The 71-year-old has frequently suggested that because of the Constitution’s wording, Trump will be allowed to run for president again since his two terms in office were not consecutive. Just to clarify, the 22nd Amendment vehemently declares that, “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.” That’s it, that’s all.
But, could this really happen?
A Georgia State University constitutional law professor Anthony Michael Kreis told Newsweek a Trump third term isn’t even “remotely debatable.”
But Republican Rep. Andy Ogles proposed an amendment, according to The Hill, to the Constitution that would allow the former “Apprentice” star to serve a third term in the White House in January.
“No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times,” the amendment said. Ogles also described how Trump has “proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness, and he must be given the time necessary to accomplish that goal.” On the opposite end, Democrat Rep. Dan Goldman shared his, and fellow Democrats, support of the the 22nd Amendment, The Hill reported.
And its safe to say Trump is also onboard with serving another four years as president. On February 20, during a Black History Month event at the White House, Trump asked, “Should I run again? You tell me.” The crowd replied: “Four more years!”
More recently, during a White House St. Patrick’s Day event, Trump said how “hopefully we’re gonna be doing this at least three more times, OK. We’re gonna be doing this three more times, at least.”
In a YouGov poll, released on February 27, 52% of Americans think Trump will attempt to remain in the White House when his current term concludes. When asked about it, 21% said “definitely” and another 31% said “probably.”