20 hours Ago By Peter Lucas
Four more years. That is what Donald Trump supporters may soon be chanting now that the president is already talking about seeking a third term, despite precedent and law. It may be nothing more than Trump baiting reporters or a joke to make Democrats crazier than they already are, but with Trump you never know.
He has only been in office for four months in his second interrupted presidency. It just seems like four years. Everything seems to be turned upside down and people, outside of the Democrats, love it.
But it seems that the 2028 campaign for president has already begun —or the last one never ended. Democratic contenders are already crossing the country holding political events and attacking Trump as though the next election was next month. Yet the fact that the 22nd Amendment to the U.
S. Constitution limits a president to two terms does not seem to faze Trump. He would run again if he could.
The amendment was passed by Congress two years after the April 12, 1945, death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was ratified by the states in 1951.
Roosevelt was the only president to serve more than two terms. Roosevelt, who guided the country during World War II, although in poor health, had just been elected to a fourth term four years after he was elected to an unprecedented third term. Roosevelt was 63 when he died.
Trump is an energetic 78 years old. “A lot of people want me to do it,” Trump told NBC News over the weekend. And despite the constitutional barrier, Trump said, “There are methods which you could do it.
” Reporter Kristen Welker suggested that one method would be to run for vice president in 2028 on a ticket headed by Vice President JD Vance. Vance would then swap roles with Trump and make Trump president again. “Well, that’s one,” Trump said.
“But there are others.” I’m thinking that Trump may have had one too many late night phone calls with his on-again, off-again buddy Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Russian President Putin, an old KGB fox, might have put the idea in his head.
Putin might have said something like, “Tovarich, listen to me. I’m an old hand at this sort of thing. I was trained in deviousness.
I not only climbed to the top, but I have also stayed there and will continue to stay there. I am Making Russia Great Again. You can do the same.
” After all, the plan worked for Putin. That was back in 2008 when Putin, under Russian law at the time, could not run for a third term as president. So, he supported his pal Dmitry Medvedev who was elected.
Medvedev then appointed Putin prime minister, until Putin was re-elected in 2012. He in turn made Medvedev his prime minister. It was the Russian Communist Party version of DEI — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
It worked so well that Putin has not only been in charge ever since but signed a law paving the way for him to retain the presidency until 2036. This is not to say that Trump is planning on the “Putinization” of American politics and governance, but the idea of a third term is out there. If nothing else, Trump’s third-term musings will give Democrats something to talk about rather than doubling down on the crazy and losing issues that led them to disaster in the last election.
But before it can happen, though, look for loony left wing activists to take it all seriously and file suit against Trump before some Obama-era federal district court judge jumps to stop Trump from running again. If you can’t take a joke your head will explode. Then again, what if it’s not a joke? Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas can be reached at: peter.
[email protected].
