Steve Bannon electrified the New York Young Republican Club gala when he suggested Donald Trump could sidestep the two‑term limit and reclaim the White House in 2028. Citing a little‑noticed phrase in the 22nd Amendment, Bannon argued it bars only “elected… more than twice,” not total terms, a point first flagged by Yahoo UK.
Trump himself ignited the debate further during an interview with Kristen Welker on NBC News, admitting he was “not joking” when musing about “methods” to secure a third term.
On his War Room podcast, Bannon credited MAGA lawyer Mike Davis for spotting the loophole—“it doesn’t actually say consecutive,” he said—echoing a The Recount video summary.
He then laid out six possible strategies:
- Non‑consecutive loophole – Lean on the Amendment’s silence on total terms.
- Constitutional amendment – Push Rep. Andy Ogles’ resolution to permit a third term, despite the two‑thirds hurdle, as detailed by The Independent.
- Supreme Court challenge – Argue that “elected” applies only to successive terms, a theory examined by Check Your Fact.
- Emergency powers – Declare a crisis and invoke wartime authorities, hinted at in a Forbes interview.
- Joint resolution – Fast‑track a special congressional vote to put Trump back on the ballot in 2028, an idea explored by Time.
- Enforcement memos – Leak DOJ opinions or memos advising officials to ignore term limits, warned by The Guardian.
Legal experts remain unconvinced. As People magazine’s primer notes, the plain text forbids anyone “elected to the office… more than twice.”
Social media exploded. MAGA writer @Acyn skewered the plan as “constitutional gaslighting,” while @Mollyploofkins quipped, “No current ‘methods’ exist for a third term—nice try.”
Even GOP insiders are nervous. As Politico reports, many fear testing these theories could fracture the party and spark unprecedented legal fights.
With Bannon’s blueprint now public and Trump teasing more comments, America’s democratic guardrails face their sternest test yet.
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