Summary:
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Trump hinted at finding methods to secure a third term, like having JD Vance run as president and him as VP, then stepping down. Some legal discussions suggest this loophole might be feasible. However, the 12th Amendment poses a major roadblock, as it prohibits those ineligible for presidency from serving as vice president.
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Constitutional law experts emphasize that the 22nd Amendment assumes candidates will follow the Constitution. Trump downplayed the idea, stating it’s still early in his administration.
Could Trump actually find a way around the 22nd Amendment to secure a third term? In a recent NBC News interview, he hinted at “methods” that could make it possible. One idea floated involves JD Vance running as president with Trump as VP—only for Vance to step down, making Trump president without technically being “elected” again. While critics dismissed the idea, some legal discussions, including a 1999 Minnesota Law Review article, suggest it’s not entirely out of the question.
However, legal experts point to the 12th Amendment as a major roadblock, as it states that anyone constitutionally ineligible for the presidency cannot serve as vice president. Constitutional law professor Gloria Browne-Marshall emphasized that the 22nd Amendment assumes candidates will follow the Constitution as intended. While this loophole theory is intriguing, Trump himself downplayed the idea, telling NBC it’s still early in his administration.
