A Republican lawmaker from Tennessee is pushing to amend the U.S. Constitution, aiming to allow former President Donald Trump to run for a third term in office.
On January 23, 2025, Rep. Andy Ogles introduced a House Joint Resolution calling for a change to the 22nd Amendment, which currently limits presidents to two terms. Ogles’ proposal seeks to allow a president to serve up to three terms, specifically citing Trump’s leadership qualities.
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s record-breaking tenure, prohibits any individual from being elected to the presidency more than twice. It also restricts a person from holding office for more than 10 years.
Ogles’ resolution reads: “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, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
In a statement, Ogles praised Trump’s “decisive leadership” and expressed his belief that Trump is dedicated to “restoring the republic and saving our country.” The proposal, however, faces a long road ahead, requiring a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate before being ratified by at least 38 states.
Trump, inaugurated for his second term on January 20, 2025, has made previous comments about the idea of a third term, but he has publicly stated he would not support altering the Constitution for his benefit. Despite this, his comments have fluctuated, even joking at a recent event about the possibility of a third term.
In the meantime, Trump’s second term has begun with bold actions, including withdrawing from the World Health Organization, challenging birthright citizenship, and granting pardons related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
