Speculation is swirling once again after reports surfaced that President Donald Trump privately discussed the idea of a third presidential term with a longtime legal adviser.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has engaged in behind-the-scenes conversations with constitutional scholar and former legal adviser Alan Dershowitz regarding whether any constitutional gray areas could theoretically allow a president to serve beyond two terms.
The White House quickly responded, downplaying the significance of the discussion while highlighting the administration’s accomplishments. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said there has rarely been an administration that achieved so much in such a short period of time, adding that Americans would be fortunate to have President Trump leading the country for as long as possible.
What The Constitution Actually Says
The issue centers on the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which clearly states that no person may be elected president more than twice. That amendment was ratified after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four-term presidency and has governed presidential elections for more than seven decades.
Despite that clarity, Trump has occasionally referenced the idea of serving more than two terms—sometimes jokingly, sometimes hypothetically, and often in response to supporters who say they want him to stay in office longer.
During an October exchange with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump acknowledged the restriction, saying the Constitution makes it “pretty clear” that he is not allowed to run again. However, in a later television interview, he added that “there are methods” that have been discussed academically, while stressing it was far too early to think seriously about such matters.
Legal Experts Weigh In
Dershowitz has said the discussions were largely intellectual in nature, focused on rare and unprecedented scenarios—such as a disputed Electoral College outcome that ends up in Congress—where constitutional interpretation could become more complicated.
Still, Dershowitz has publicly stated he does not believe Trump intends to pursue a third term and views the conversation as an academic exercise rather than a political plan.
Other officials have been even more direct. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair that Trump understands he cannot legally run again. Senate Majority Leader John Thune also dismissed the speculation, telling reporters that any third term would require a constitutional amendment and suggesting the president may simply be “having some fun” with the media.
Far-Fetched Scenarios And Political Reality
A handful of legal commentators have floated highly speculative succession scenarios involving resignations or congressional maneuvers, but most constitutional scholars describe those ideas as unrealistic and politically unworkable.
Changing the presidential term limit would require an amendment to the Constitution—an enormous undertaking requiring approval by two-thirds of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. There is currently no evidence of any coordinated effort underway to pursue such a change.
Bottom Line
While talk of a third Trump term continues to generate headlines and social media buzz, the legal and political reality remains unchanged. The Constitution’s two-term limit is firmly in place, and even Trump’s closest advisers acknowledge there is no serious push to challenge it.
For now, the discussion appears to be more about constitutional theory and media speculation than an actual plan to keep President Trump on the ballot beyond what the law allows.