Did Trump Drop The Idea Of Running For Third Term? Here's What He Said

US President Donald Trump recently hinted that he might actually not be serious about running for a third term-- something the US Constitution prohibits under the Twenty-Second Amendment. The Republican leader has joked about the issue in the past, but his recent remarks suggest Trump might be doing so just to challenge the norms.

During a recent interview with The Atlantic, Trump denied seeking any legal opinion about running a third time, but didn't completely shut down the idea either. He even mused that if he acted on the idea, it would be a " big shattering" of norms. The interview was conducted in March and published on April 28. 

"That would be a big shattering, wouldn't it?" he said, laughing, then added, "Well, maybe I'm just trying to shatter."

He twice mentioned during the interview that his supporters regularly shout for him to seek a third term-- an idea he seems to enjoy. His company has already capitalised on the sentiments and has started selling "Trump 2028" hats.

"Oh, people are screaming all the time, no matter where I go, "2028!" They're happy. People are very happy with this presidency. I've had great polls," he said. 

However, he concluded that "It's not something that I'm looking to do. And I think it would be a very hard thing to do." 

The 22nd Amendment of the American Constitution prohibits any person from becoming the President more than twice. However, Trump, who also served as president from 2017 to 2021, has insisted on several occasions that he was "not joking" about a third term, saying last month there are "methods" that would allow it to happen.

Any serious effort to amend the founding document would send the United States into uncharted territory. Changing the US Constitution to allow a third presidential term would require a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. An amendment would also need ratification by at least 38 of the 50 US state legislatures, another slim possibility.

However, throughout his second term, Trump has been seen pushing boundaries of the constitutional framework, be it using executive power to push his tough stance on immigration and trade or imposing tariffs on America's trading partners. His leadership style has raised concerns about future presidents following Trump's steps to challenge democratic norms.

In the same interview, when he was asked if he was setting a dangerous precedent, Trump replied, "Oh, I don't know. I've already gone through it."

It remains unclear if Trump would actually seek a third term or if he's making claims to stir controversy, but the new interview suggests the President enjoys pushing boundaries and watching how people react.