US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he's toying with the idea of running for a third term, despite it being unconstitutional. In an interview with the Economist, Steve Bannon, a far-right provocateur and former Trump adviser, said the president would definitely run again in 2028, and that people should "get accommodated" with the idea. Trump has since echoed this sentiment, saying he'd love to do it.
However, despite his enthusiasm for the prospect of another term, Trump hasn't really thought through how he'd accomplish it. He's floated a scheme where he'd be placed on the ticket as a vice-presidential nominee and then have the "puppet" in the presidential slot resign, allowing him to assume power. But this plan is not only unconstitutional but also dubious, with many experts arguing that Trump wouldn't be eligible for re-election under this scenario.
House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed the idea of a third Trump term as a matter of fact, noting that it's barred by the constitution. Yet, this hasn't stopped Trump from using his comments about a third term to muddy the waters on his own lame-duck status.
The larger issue here is not just about whether or not Trump can run for another term but about the erosion of the constitutional order. The right-wing legal establishment has shown itself eager to nullify parts of the constitution, and it's becoming increasingly clear that the Supreme Court is willing to play along with this agenda.
The court's recent decision on the Trump administration's attempt to dismantle the Department of Education highlights this trend. While there are six justices who have expressed hostility to the constitution, there are only nine, and they're not always in agreement on what constitutes a legitimate interpretation.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court has already shown itself willing to reinterpret the 14th amendment, which grants citizenship to all persons born within the US. The court allowed the Trump administration's executive order purporting to nullify this provision to go into effect, despite the lack of any credible scholarship or historical evidence supporting such a claim.
The implications are dire: if we continue down this path, what does it matter if the constitution says one thing when right-wing ideologues and Trump loyalists can rebrand it as something else? We need to recognize that the American constitutional order is already collapsing, and it's time for us to mobilize against it. Anything less would be a tacit acceptance of this degradation of our democratic system.
To stop Trump from pursuing another term, we'll need to do more than just rely on legal challenges or constitutional arguments. We'll need to build a movement that demands accountability and checks power. The law won't save us; the people must.
However, despite his enthusiasm for the prospect of another term, Trump hasn't really thought through how he'd accomplish it. He's floated a scheme where he'd be placed on the ticket as a vice-presidential nominee and then have the "puppet" in the presidential slot resign, allowing him to assume power. But this plan is not only unconstitutional but also dubious, with many experts arguing that Trump wouldn't be eligible for re-election under this scenario.
House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed the idea of a third Trump term as a matter of fact, noting that it's barred by the constitution. Yet, this hasn't stopped Trump from using his comments about a third term to muddy the waters on his own lame-duck status.
The larger issue here is not just about whether or not Trump can run for another term but about the erosion of the constitutional order. The right-wing legal establishment has shown itself eager to nullify parts of the constitution, and it's becoming increasingly clear that the Supreme Court is willing to play along with this agenda.
The court's recent decision on the Trump administration's attempt to dismantle the Department of Education highlights this trend. While there are six justices who have expressed hostility to the constitution, there are only nine, and they're not always in agreement on what constitutes a legitimate interpretation.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court has already shown itself willing to reinterpret the 14th amendment, which grants citizenship to all persons born within the US. The court allowed the Trump administration's executive order purporting to nullify this provision to go into effect, despite the lack of any credible scholarship or historical evidence supporting such a claim.
The implications are dire: if we continue down this path, what does it matter if the constitution says one thing when right-wing ideologues and Trump loyalists can rebrand it as something else? We need to recognize that the American constitutional order is already collapsing, and it's time for us to mobilize against it. Anything less would be a tacit acceptance of this degradation of our democratic system.
To stop Trump from pursuing another term, we'll need to do more than just rely on legal challenges or constitutional arguments. We'll need to build a movement that demands accountability and checks power. The law won't save us; the people must.
he's basically saying he wants to be president forever and it's like we're living in a dystopian novel or something. i mean i know he's all about that whole "alternative facts" thing but c'mon dude, the constitution is not up for debate here 
. if trump thinks he can just do whatever he wants and nobody will say anything then guess what? he's wrong 
. we're not going down without a fight, folks! 
... I mean, come on Trump wants to run for a third term? That's just crazy talk! But seriously, if he thinks he can just waltz back in as VP and then assume power, that's not how it works. The constitution is crystal clear on term limits, and we need people like Mike Johnson standing up for it 
... I know they're supposed to be impartial, but when it comes to this kind of thing, it's hard not to think there's some kind of right-wing agenda going on. Allowing that executive order to take effect was a huge power grab, and if we let it stand, we're basically saying the constitution is up for grabs too.
... We can't rely on lawyers or judges to save us; we need the people to step up and demand change. It's time to get loud, get organized, and get serious about defending our democracy 
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. If we let them reinterpret the 14th amendment like that, where does it end? We need to stand up for what's right and protect our democracy 
. We need to build a movement that demands accountability and checks power. The law won't save us; the people must 
, can't they see this is gonna be a disaster? third term for trump? are they kidding me? it's unconstitutional and he hasn't even thought it through... floating around like a leaf in the wind. what's next? trying to rewrite the constitution? 
the erosion of the constitutional order is real and it's terrifying. we need to hold our elected officials accountable, not just rely on the courts to save us. the people gotta take a stand against this kind of power grab. we can't just sit back and let democracy collapse 
Newsflash: no one thinks you can pull off that stunt, Donald.
. Trump's flirtation with a third term is just the tip of the iceberg 
. If we let this slide, we risk a catastrophic destabilization of our democratic system 
. It seems like they're more willing to interpret the constitution through an ideological lens rather than upholding its original intent 
.
. We can't rely solely on legal challenges or constitutional arguments; we need collective action and civic engagement to protect our democratic system 
. The law will only protect us if the people demand it 
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. We need to be vigilant about protecting our democracy and making sure leaders don't try to abuse their power. Can't just sit back and let them steamroll over the constitution like that 
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... Trump's idea of running for a third term is just crazy talk, but you know what's even crazier? How some people are okay with rewriting the constitution to suit their own agenda 
. I mean, come on, we can't just have our founding documents open to reinterpretation because it suits someone's ideology 
... we need to take action and make sure that power stays with the people, not some group of ideologues