From democracy to dictatorship: Trump allies seek to extend presidency

A Republican House member introduced a resolution aimed at amending the US Constitution to allow US President Donald Trump—and any future president—to serve a third term.

Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee put forth the proposal, arguing that Trump “has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness, and he must be given the time necessary to accomplish that goal.”

Ogles' resolution is specifically designed to permit Trump to serve a third term, while also preventing three of the four living former presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama—from doing the same. The proposed amendment states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times, nor be elected to any additional term after being elected to two consecutive terms.”

As the only president since Grover Cleveland to serve non-consecutive terms, Trump would be eligible under this new amendment. Ogles emphasized the need to support Trump in correcting what he described as the “disastrous course” set by the Biden administration.

He stated, “It is imperative that we provide President Trump with every resource necessary to correct the disastrous course set by the Biden administration,” adding that legislators must do everything in their power to support Trump in restoring the republic.

The resolution comes just three days after Trump was sworn in and follows a previous resolution introduced by Rep. Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York, which reaffirmed that the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms.

- Challenges to amending the constitution -

For Ogles' resolution to be sent to the Archivist of the US, it must first secure a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate, followed by ratification from three-fourths of the states.

The 22nd Amendment currently states, “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” a provision aimed at preventing any future president from serving more than two terms, in response to Franklin Roosevelt's four-term presidency.

While Republicans currently hold a slim majority in both chambers of Congress, it is unlikely that any Democrats will support Ogles’ resolution during Trump’s presidency.

- Trump’s comments on a third term -

Throughout his political career, Trump has hinted at the possibility of serving more than two terms. During a private meeting in November, he reportedly mused, “I suspect I won’t be running again, unless you say, ‘He’s so good we’ve got to figure something else out.’”

He also raised questions about term limits while speaking to the National Rifle Association, saying, “I don’t know, are we going to be considered three-term or two-term? Are we three-term or two-term if we win?”

- Other avenues for extending Trump’s presidency -

Though amending the Constitution is one option for Trump to extend his time in office, it is not the only method. Political science professor Philip Klinkner noted that while the 22nd Amendment prevents Trump from being elected president again, it does not stop him from serving beyond January 20, 2029.

“The 22nd Amendment only prohibits someone from being ‘elected’ more than twice,” Klinkner explained. He proposed that one scenario could involve Trump running for vice president in 2028 while a potential presidential candidate, JD Vance, leads the ticket. If elected, Vance could resign, effectively reinstating Trump as president.

Another possibility, Klinkner suggested, could see Trump encourage a family member to win the presidency, allowing Trump to influence key decisions while serving in a more advisory role.

- Descent into dictatorship? -

Trump’s potential avenues for staying in power bear similarities to the strategies used by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

When Putin was named president in 1999, Russia’s constitution limited the president to two consecutive terms. As a result, after completing his second term in 2008, he stepped into the role of prime minister before returning to the presidency in 2012.

Then, in January 2020, Putin introduced a constitutional amendment that extended his eligibility for two additional terms. The amendment, packaged with other constitutional changes, was passed by the Russian legislature and later approved by Russian voters in a July 2020 referendum.

This move effectively reset Putin’s term limits, paving the way for him to potentially remain in power until 2036. If a similar strategy were adopted in the US, it could open the door for leaders to manipulate the system in order to extend their rule indefinitely.