Can Donald Trump serve a third term? Premium

US President Donald Trump hints at seeking third term, sparking debate on constitutional amendment possibilities in the US.

The story so far: “I am not joking,” said US President Donald Trump on Sunday (March 29, 2025), in a telephonic interview to NBC News, when asked to clarify why he has not ruled out the possibility of seeking a third term in the White House. 

Mr. Trump added, “A lot of people want me to do it. But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.” When NBC asked him how he would go about it, he said, “There are methods by which you could do it.” He ticked off being handed the Presidency by Vice President JD Vance if he had a successful run for office, as one such method. However, when pressed for details of the others, Mr. Trump simply said, “No.”

Analysts in the U.S. are divided as to whether Mr. Trump can pull this off or not. Here’s a look at potential options and feasibility.

In 1947, two years after the death of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) while he was serving his fourth term, it was first proposed that term limits be instituted on the Presidency.  

Seeking stability during the Great Depression and the Second World War (WW-II), FDR was the first President who had successfully been elected to a third consecutive term in 1940. Powered by the success of the US and its allies over the Nazi regime in WW-II, FDR managed to be re-elected again in 1944. However, a mere three months after he took oath on January 1945, he died while in office. FDR remains the only US President to serve four terms. 

Lawmakers across the political spectrum argued that it was necessary to keep a check on abuse of power and the US Congress passed the 22nd Amendment in 1947. It was ratified in 1951.

The amendment states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” It also adds that “No person who has held the office of President for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.”