Overview

• Trump recently told NBC News he is 'not joking' about exploring methods to serve a third term, despite the constitutional prohibition under the 22nd Amendment.
• Legal experts and constitutional scholars widely agree that Trump's proposed methods, including running as vice president, are legally untenable and would likely face immediate challenges.
• Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Ted Cruz, have dismissed the feasibility of a third term, emphasizing the clear constitutional barriers.
• Analysts suggest Trump's comments may be a strategy to maintain political relevance, deflect attention from recent controversies, and avoid lame-duck status during his second term.
• The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, was designed to limit presidential power and prevent authoritarianism, reflecting concerns about democratic backsliding.