Republican Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee has introduced a resolution to amend the US Constitution, aiming to allow President Donald Trump—and future presidents—to seek a third term in office.
The proposed amendment would revise the 22nd Amendment, which currently limits individuals to two terms as president.
“President Trump has demonstrated his unique ability to reverse our nation’s decline and restore its greatness. He must be afforded the time necessary to accomplish this mission,” Ogles said in a statement.
He emphasized the need for legislative support to enable Trump’s continued leadership, describing him as “dedicated to restoring the republic and saving our country.”
Ogles, a conservative lawmaker in his second term, stated his resolution would alter the Constitution to permit individuals to serve as president for three terms, contrasting the current two-term limit imposed by the 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951.
Ogles’ resolution comes shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration for a second, non-consecutive term, a feat previously achieved only by President Grover Cleveland.
It also follows a resolution introduced by Democratic Representative Dan Goldman of New York, which reaffirms that the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms in total.
The 22nd Amendment, established in response to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unprecedented four terms, prohibits individuals from being elected president more than twice or serving more than two years of another president’s term while being elected once themselves.
Ogles’ proposal seeks to amend this to allow up to three presidential terms.
The amendment would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress and be ratified by 38 states to be added to the Constitution.
The proposed amendment would continue to bar a president from seeking a third term if they have already served two consecutive terms, thereby excluding former Presidents George W Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton.
Does Trump want a third term?
Throughout his political career, Trump has hinted at the possibility of serving beyond two terms.
At a private meeting with House Republicans in November, Trump reportedly joked about serving a third term if it were legally permitted.
Similar remarks were made during a National Rifle Association event, where he questioned whether a potential third-term win would make him a two-term or three-term president.
However, he has previously stated that he would not seek a third term if he wins the 2024 presidential election. In an interview with Time magazine in April last year, Trump said:
I wouldn’t be in favour of a challenge. Not for me. I wouldn’t be in favor of it at all. I intend to serve four years and do a great job. And I want to bring our country back. I want to put it back on the right track.
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