Despite being a political science girly and a lover of politics, for the sake of my mental health, I’ve been checked out of the news since November. It seems every day there’s something else, chaotic and/or detrimental, being debuted to the American people. But I’ve come across a story and narrative that should worry everyone. The twice-elected 78-year-old president is seriously considering, once again, his options to remain in office, following the culmination of his current term.
background
Serving two terms as president is a long-standing tradition, dating back to George Washington. It wasn’t deemed illegal to serve more than two terms until 1951. However, presidents would typically serve two terms out of respect for this tradition. FDR was the only president to stray from this and served numerous terms. He, unfortunately, died during his fourth term at 63 years old, while the Second World War was still happening. The 22nd Amendment was introduced following his death and prevents a president from serving more than twice. Trump is now exploring his avenues to become the first president since FDR to serve multiple terms.
What’s happening?
Over the weekend, the President sat down for a phone call with NBC News, where he stated that a third term is something his supporters want. This was his reintroduction of the idea of having a third term, which he’s been discussing since the last election cycle. This comes only a short while after he claimed he doesn’t have a successor, despite having a vice-president who would typically take the mantle. He even stated that others can take the position, possibly referring to himself.
In the interview, Trump also showed how serious he was about a third term. He shared that he believes this wasn’t a joking matter, but it’s something that’s come up too soon in this current term, which only began in January. This means that by 2028, there may be a chance that Trump will not leave office and will remain president — the first president to serve a third term since FDR.
A move of this nature would require the abolishment of term limits, meaning the Constitution would have to be amended. This means 2/3 of Congress would have to vote in support of calling “a constitutional convention to propose changes.” A Republican rep from Tennessee, Andy Ogles, has proposed another option. He’s drafted a resolution demanding that presidential term limits be extended, permitting Trump to run for office again.
potential issues
Despite this entire scenario being wild and baffling, there are quite a few problems with it, other than its undemocratic nature. Firstly, Trump is going to be over 80 years old at the end of his current term, meaning he will be serving as president well into his eighties. This would make him older than the previous President, who held the title of our oldest president ever, Joe Biden. Millions had issues with Biden running again and remaining in office due to his age and possible cognitive decline. This is something that could arise in 2028 as well.
Another is that power will never be transitioned to a younger generation. Part of the allure around Kamala Harris in the fall was that she is significantly younger than Biden and part of a different generation. In the modern era, presidents were mainly from the baby boomer generation, following WWII, or were even older. The younger generations have yet to have a chance at running the executive branch.
Lastly, Trump may be unable to complete his duties as president. Many already believe Trump is unfit for office and are worried about what the next four years will entail. However, we must also consider his cognitive abilities and physical health. Previous president have had debilitating health problems like strokes, which limited their ability to govern, and others like FDR have died while in office. Trump’s age is already advanced, and right now, many question if his age is affecting his abilities as president. Getting older will only increase this line of questions, and there’s a large chance he’ll be unable to govern since he will be almost 90 if he completes a third term.
concluding thoughts
I’m quite skeptical about Trump running and completing a third term. This presidency has started very rocky, and some of his supporters have started to think poorly of him and his policies. I think if he and the Republicans continue with what they’re doing now, they will lose their hold on the presidency and Congress.
The remaining factor is the Democratic Party, which has been flailing since the election. They have been significantly weak since then. I think that they should take the next four years to regroup, come back stronger, and take the presidency back in 2028. They should also serve as a deterrent, preventing Trump from having a chance to run again.