Trump «not joking» about 3rd term: Media distraction or political madness?

According to Trump, «a lot of people» are asking him to pursue his presidency with a third term, stating he is «not joking» about this idea.

Trump suggested in an interview with NBC that there could be «methods» to bypass the two-term limit imposed by the American Constitution.

His comments created a shockwave, as the possibility of a third term seems to go against the constitutional principles in place for decades.

The 22nd Amendment was created to avoid an excessive concentration of power in the hands of a single president. Any attempt by Trump to seek a third term would violate this fundamental rule enshrined in the Constitution, although Trump claims, without evidence, to receive broad support for this idea.

Some Trump supporters believe that «exceptional circumstances» could allow him to bypass this limit. They cite legal options or more flexible interpretations of the 22nd Amendment, although no concrete action has been taken to amend the Constitution, at least not yet.

Any attempt to change the Constitution to allow a president to serve more than two terms would be a complex process.

This would require either a Congressional proposal, or the calling of a constitutional convention, a procedure rarely used in the history of the United States.

The process of amending the Constitution is rigid and difficult. It requires a two-thirds majority in Congress or a constitutional convention to initiate an amendment.

Then, this modification must be ratified by three quarters of the States, a major obstacle for any attempt to extend the term.

Trump’s entourage, which suggests the possibility of modifying the Constitution, is facing strong resistance. Most jurists and politicians believe that such an approach is not only unlikely, but also dangerous for the country’s political and institutional stability.

However, several analysts believe it’s just a smokescreen, a distraction thrown in the media to divert attention from the recent failures of the Trump administration, notably the Signal Gate, the trade war, and the cuts in key departments for the population, particularly in health and social services. Others recall that several of Donald Trump’s political antics have materialized, pointing to January 6, 2021, or his refusal to concede the 2020 election, as an example of a man with an obvious tendency towards authoritarianism.