President-elect Donald Trump told House Republicans on Wednesday, Nov. 13, that he does not plan to seek a third term in office — unless they find a way to make it possible.
“I suspect I won’t be running again, unless you say, ‘he’s so good, we’ve got to figure something else,'” Trump quipped during a speech to the House Republican Conference in Washington, D.C. The remark, made with his characteristic sense of humor, was met with laughter from the crowd.
Under the current interpretation of the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a president can serve no more than two terms in office. The amendment, ratified in 1951, limits any president to two elected terms, or a total of 10 years in office if they serve less than two years as a vice president before assuming the presidency. This rule effectively bars presidents from seeking a third term.
Despite the constitutional limits, Trump has raised the possibility of a third term in the past, and his comment on Wednesday echoed similar statements he made earlier this year. In May 2024, during an appearance at the National Rifle Association (NRA) convention, Trump joked about the potential for a third term. “You know, FDR — 16 years, almost 16 years. He was four-term,” Trump said, referring to Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms. “I don’t know, are we going to be considered three-term or two-term? You tell me.”
Roosevelt’s four-term presidency, which spanned from 1933 to 1945, prompted the passage of the 22nd Amendment in 1947, which was ratified in 1951. The amendment was designed to prevent future presidents from serving an extended term similar to Roosevelt’s.
Trump’s comments on Wednesday came just a few days after he cast his own vote for the 2024 presidential election. On Nov. 5, Trump told reporters outside his Mar-a-Lago estate that the 2024 race would likely be his final bid for the presidency. According to The New York Times, Trump acknowledged that his age and the current political landscape might make it difficult for him to run again in the future.
At 78, Trump will become the 47th president of the United States when he is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025. He is set to surpass Joe Biden, who is currently the oldest sitting president at 81, to become the oldest individual ever to hold the office. Trump has been a polarizing figure in American politics, having served one term as president from 2017 to 2021 before losing his bid for re-election to Biden in 2020. His return to the political stage in 2024 has sparked widespread discussion about his political future and his place in American history.
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Biden, who is three years older than Trump, made history in 2020 when he became the oldest person ever elected to the presidency. Despite their age differences, both men have maintained prominent political careers, with Trump seeking a return to the White House and Biden pursuing a second term. The two have had several high-profile interactions since the 2020 election, including a meeting in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, 2024, where the president-elect and the sitting president discussed the transition of power.
Trump’s age and political ambitions have drawn attention as he prepares for another term in office. In his speech to House Republicans on Wednesday, he also alluded to the challenges of balancing age and energy while in public office. However, his comments about possibly seeking a third term were more playful than serious, with no indication that he intends to challenge the constitutional limits of his presidency.
Although Trump has not directly addressed the question of whether he will seek a second term in 2028, his comments to House Republicans suggest that he is focused on his immediate future in office and the upcoming political landscape. Trump’s rhetoric often shifts between humor and political strategy, and his remarks on Wednesday appear to be more of a lighthearted joke than a serious challenge to the constitutional rule.
As Trump prepares for his inauguration in 2025, his comments about a third term highlight the broader conversation surrounding age and leadership in American politics. With both Trump and Biden representing a generation of political leaders who have dominated U.S. politics for decades, questions about the future of the presidency and the direction of the country remain at the forefront of national discussions.
