I noted with interest three related things that happened this week:
After ending congestion pricing in New York City, President Donald Trump declared (in a reference to himself): “Long Live the King.”
At a speech honoring Black History Month, Trump “joked” about sticking around for another term. Here’s how Newsweek reported it:
"While speaking to the crowd, Trump said while laughing, "Should I run again? You tell me. There's your controversy right there." The crowd then began shouting, "Four more years! Four more years!" Eventually Trump waved off the crowd and said, "You're going to see that tonight ... on television."
Steve Bannon, speaking at CPAC, actively promoted Trump running in 2028. “We want Trump in ’28,” Bannon said. “That’s what they can’t stand. A man like Trump comes along only once or twice in a country’s history. Right? We want Trump!” Later Bannon added: “We’ve got to maybe work the Constitution too although I think there’s a way to slip through there but you never know.”
Ahem.
I have been adamant about the fact that the Constitution simply does not allow a president to seek three terms. Here’s the specific language in the 22nd Amendment:
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as 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.
And I have been just as adamant that amending the Constitution — a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate and then ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures — will NEVER happen when it comes to a Trump third term.
At the same time, it’s clear that the idea of Trump running again is not going to go away. Trump will continue to “joke” about it while making clear to allies he’d be open to it. And Bannon and other MAGA loyalists will keep pushing the idea that Trump is so special that the rules need to be changed for him.
Unstoppable force meet immovable object.
Could the Supreme Court ultimately decide this? Yes, yes it could.
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