It is noon in Washington on Saturday, January 20, 2029. Inauguration Day. A bearded man steps forward in front of the US Capitol and raises his right hand, placing his left on the Bible.
‘I, James David Vance, do solemnly swear…’
Moments later, with a knowing smile, the new President of the United States declares: ‘I resign.’
His running mate embraces him in a bear hug. The crowd of hundreds of thousands on the National Mall erupts in cheers of ‘Trump, Trump, Trump’ and ‘Four More Years.’
Donald Trump has become President for a third time.
This sounds like a conspiracy theory, or a MAGA flight of fancy. After all, as everyone with a passing knowledge of the Constitution knows, the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms.
But could a scenario where Trump remains in the White House beyond that really happen? The surprising answer from experts is – yes.
In fact, the path for Trump to serve a third term – and potentially a fourth until January 2037 when he would be aged 90 – is not only possible, it is simple, thanks to a glaring loophole in the amendment.
The idea of exploiting this loophole has long been percolating in academic circles, behind the scenes in Congress and the White House, and recently among Trump’s most fervent supporters.
Carrying it out would not require an army of lawyers to perform arcane legal acrobatics with the Constitution.
Instead, the move would hinge merely on the interpretation of one word – ‘election’ – in the 22nd Amendment, and the loyalty of one man – Vance.
It would also require Trump to have enough popular support to win for a third term at the ballot box.
The 22nd Amendment
The text of the full 22nd Amendment says the following:
‘No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, 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 once.’
By NICK ALLEN
