President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday that he believes he has "the right" to seek a third term in the White House — even as he acknowledged that the Constitution appears to forbid it.
Photo: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
"I think I have the right to run again because they cheated," Trump said at the rally at Sioux Gateway Airport, repeating his claim that the 2020 election was rigged against him. There is no evidence of widespread fraud in that election. In the same breath, the president conceded the legal obstacle: he said he believes the law means he is "not allowed to run again," adding, "I've studied that phrase."
The 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution states that no person shall be elected president more than twice. Trump is currently serving his second term, having previously held the office from 2017 to 2021.
The Iowa stop was part of a final midterm push in a state Trump has carried three times. He campaigned for Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, who is locked in a tied race against Democrat Josh Turek, and for governor nominee Zach Lahn, who trails Democrat Rob Sand in polling. With the November 3 midterms just days away, Republicans are fighting to hold seats in what has long been a stronghold for the party.
During the rally, Trump also attacked Representative Ilhan Omar and defended Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial campaign ad in the Ohio governor's race, which has drawn criticism from within the Republican Party.
Also read: Trump Defends Ramaswamy's Controversial Ohio Ad in Governor's Race
The third-term remarks are the latest in a series of comments in which Trump has mused about staying in power beyond 2029, remarks that supporters often describe as joking but that critics say test constitutional limits. Trump returned to the campaign trail on Friday with another rally at Florida Gulf Coast University's Alico Arena in Fort Myers, where about 5,000 people were expected for remarks scheduled around 2 p.m. Eastern.