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Trump said on Sunday that he’s “not joking” about running for a third term\u2014despite the fact that would be unconstitutional.<\/span>Jacquelyn Martin\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n President Donald Trump <\/span>has repeatedly<\/a> teased<\/a> running for a third term in violation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which limits presidents to two terms.<\/p>\n Until now, it has been unclear whether he was making such comments seriously. But in a phone call with Meet the Press<\/em> moderator Kristen Welker of NBC News on Sunday, Trump gave his clearest indication yet that he is indeed serious. \u201cI\u2019m not joking,\u201d he reportedly<\/a> said. \u201cBut I\u2019m not\u2014it is far too early to think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere are methods which you could do it,\u201d Trump continued. NBC reports that when Welker asked about the plausibility of Vice President JD Vance running for office and then passing power to Trump (who would try to run as VP in 2028, and then take over when Vance resigns, according to the theory<\/a>) Trump replied, \u201cThat\u2019s one,\u201d adding, \u201cbut there are others too.\u201d He declined to provide specific examples, NBC reported.<\/p>\n White House Communications Director Steven Cheung did not respond directly to a question from Mother Jones <\/em>about what \u201cmethods\u201d Trump specifically was referring to; instead Cheung sent a statement claiming: \u201cAmericans overwhelmingly approve and support President Trump and his America First policies. As the President said, it\u2019s far too early to think about [a third term] and he is focused on undoing all the hurt Biden has caused and Making America Great Again.\u201d (Polls do not indicate \u201coverwhelming approval\u201d for Trump: The latest CBS\/YouGov poll shows<\/a> Americans split down the middle, and several recent <\/strong>others others show that majorities of Americans disapprove of him.)<\/p>\n When asked by Welker if he would like to serve a third term, Trump replied, \u201cI like working.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said in a post on X<\/a> that there may be three ways Trump could attempt to \u201cgrab\u201d an illegal 3rd term: 1) Ignore the Constitution and dare anyone to stop him. 2) Have GOP-run states just appoint Trump electors since any state not voting Trump is by definition \u2018corrupt\u2019. 3) Military coup and martial law\u2014i.e., a successful January 6.\u201d<\/p>\n NBC reports that Trump also claimed, \u201cA 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\u2019s very early in the administration.\u201d <\/p>\n Some public figures have indeed voiced sycophantic support for this idea of an illegal power grab. They include longtime Trump adviser Steve Bannon<\/a>, who has claimed Trump may be able to get around the 22nd Amendment and told<\/a> NewsNation\u2019s Chris Cuomo that \u201cTrump will run and win again in 2028.\u201d In January, Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a farfetched resolution proposing<\/a> to amend the 22nd Amendment so that Trump could serve a third term. Additionally, GOP activists behind an initiative called the Third Term Project<\/a> are advocating<\/a> for amending the constitution to allow Trump to run again in 2028, or to have Trump run as VP with the understanding that the presidential candidate on the ticket would resign after being elected, to allow Trump to retake power.<\/p>\n Success in amending the Constitution\u2014especially to set up a possible third term for Trump\u2014would be extremely unlikely, as it would require<\/a> approval from two-thirds of both chambers of Congress, and then ratification from three-fourths of state legislatures.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n