Summary
Rep. Daniel Goldman plans to introduce a resolution clarifying that the Constitution’s two-term limit for presidents applies even if terms are non-consecutive, aiming to close any perceived loophole after Donald Trump joked about seeking a third term.
While unlikely to advance under Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, Goldman’s resolution underscores Democrats’ concerns over Trump’s repeated comments about serving beyond two terms, which some view as “anti-democratic and authoritarian.”
Goldman urges bipartisan support to uphold the 22nd Amendment, amid fears that some Republicans might not view Trump’s statements as mere jokes.
In all fairness, it does specify that no person can be elected to president more than twice, full stop. Unfortunately, it does leave open two loopholes. 1) He, while president, manages to coerce the skipping or elimination of elections and he just gets another term without an election. 2) He runs as VP for another person (no limit there) and assume the presidency when their lacky dies, retires, etc. Or he just uses them as a puppet from the VP spot.
Doesn’t being ineligible for president also make you ineligible for VP?
The 22nd amendment says that they can’t be elected to “The office of President”. No mention in the amendment of the Vice Presidency. And the term limit definitely doesn’t apply to one’s terms as VPs if they later become President. Else George HW Bush and Biden couldn’t gave run for president after their two terms as VP each. No reason to think it applies in reverse, that presidential terms count against VP terms. Obviously, it could be argued that VPs are in the line of succession for President, and are thus ineligible after they served two terms, but it would have to be argued. It’s not explicit. Also I doubt it would work because that would also exclude them from every single other role in the line of succession. That seems overbroad.