US conservatives rally around Trump’s third term

Far-right agitator Steve Bannon, a confidant of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump who served as a senior White House adviser during his first term, and conservative journalist Heraldo Rivera are calling for Trump to run for a ‘third term,’ which is prohibited by the U.S. Constitution.

At an event for the Young Republican Club, a conservative group, at a luxury restaurant near Wall Street in New York City on Sunday, Bannon asked attendees if they thought Trump could still prepare to run for president in 2028, asking, “Are you ready for that?” according to the Washington Post. The 1,000-plus attendees roared to express their approval.

During the event, Bannon also spoke with Trump on the phone, touting his friendship with the president-elect. President-elect Trump also thanked the attendees.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1951, clearly states that no person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice. This means that no US president can serve a third term. However, Bannon is making a strong case that Trump is eligible to run for another term because he is not serving two consecutive terms.

Rivera, a former Fox News anchor, also posted on X Sunday that “President-elect Trump and his aides will soon discuss how to repeal the 22nd Amendment.” He also claimed that the Constitution could be amended if just 38 of the 50 states agreed to the process. The idea is that Trump won 30 states in the latest presidential election, so it shouldn't be difficult to set the stage to make a constitutional amendment.

However, Trump has indicated that he will not seek a third term. In an interview with Time in April, he said, “If I'm re-elected, I'm going to leave office after my second term,” and “I'm not going to try to overturn the 22nd Amendment.”


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