As Trump hints at a third term as president - could it actually happen?

Donald Trump spoke to reporters Sunday evening about running for a third term

Words by ITV News Producer Kieran Carter

Donald Trump has been serving his second presidential term for less than 100 days but has already indicated a third could be on the cards.

The US president previously joked about the possibility, but Sunday's comments are the clearest signal yet that he is considering the currently unconstitutional move.

What has the US president said?

On Sunday, Trump spoke to NBC News over the phone from his Florida Mar-a-Lago residence and was asked about a potential third term.

"A lot of people want me to do it," he said, clarifying "I'm not joking."

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Speaking to reporters on Air Force One later that Sunday, Trump clarified these remarks, repeating the false claim that the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden was stolen from him.

“I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which in a way is a fourth term because the other election, the 2020 election was totally rigged,” he said.

President Trump's second term is still in its infancy and as such, any future presidential runs are still years away.

Acknowledging this, Trump said: “I don’t want to talk about a third term now because no matter how you look at it, we’ve got a long time to go."

"So many people are saying 'You've gotta run again'. They love the job we're doing. Most importantly, they love the job we do," he added.

How could he do it?

A third term would be legally dubious and under current US laws would break a constitutional limit on the amount of terms presidents can serve.

Speaking on Sunday the US president hinted: “There are methods [with] which you could do it,” leading to speculation on some of the ways he may try to stay in power.

One way some have suggested a third term could be possible is for Trump to run as vice president in 2028. If after being elected, his presidential running mate were to stand down - a Vice President Trump would then be promoted to his former position in the Oval Office.

Asked whether he was considering this as an option, Trump replied: "That's one. But there are others too. There are others."

He refused to be drawn on what these may be.

Constitutional lawyers are divided on how legally sound this would be.

Derek Muller, a professor of election law at Notre Dame University, Indiana, pointed to a law from the 1800s which prohibits anyone ineligible to run for president from running as vice president. Muller says if the constitution prevented Trump from running for a third term at the top of the ticket he'd be unable to run for VP either.

One other way for the 78-year-old to run for a third term would be to amend the US Constitution.

Pursuing this route would be an uphill battle for the 47th President as it would require either two-thirds of US states or two-thirds of Congress to support the change.

Republican Representative, Andy Ogles, has already drafted legislation to amend the constitution to allow Trump to run for a third term.

Currently, the Republicans only hold a small majority in Congress, but even if this were to pass any amendments to the constitution would then require 75% of US states to ratify them.

What is the 22nd Amendment?

Under the current US constitution, the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to just two terms, prohibiting them from seeking a third in office.

This law came into effect in 1951, not long after Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt's fourth term which ended with his death in 1945.

To date, he remains the only US president to have served more than two terms.

Despite third and fourth terms being possible prior to Roosevelt, a two-term precedent was set by the US' first and third presidents, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who both declined to run a third time.

At the time of Roosevelt's third election, Democrats cited the Second World War as a valid reason for breaking with a two-term precedent. It wasn't until Republicans took control of both the House and Senate a year and a half after Roosevelt's death that they were able to bring in term limits.

There is one exception to the maximum eight-year tenure.

If a person succeeds to the presidency from the position of vice president for less than two years, following the death or resignation of the current president, they will still be able to run for a further two full terms. This makes the current maximum time any one person may serve as president ten years, two after succeeding from VP and a further two full four-year terms.

Trump would be 82 by the time he ran for a third term, quickly making him the oldest US president were he to serve the full four years.

It is still unclear how seriously the president's comments should be taken and whether 2028 will see his name back on the ballot.

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