Trump Says He Is ‘Not Joking’ About Running for 3rd Presidential Term

“A lot of people want me to do that,” the president said.

President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was “not kidding” about his recent story.

“I want a lot of people to do that,” Trump told NBC News Sunday morning. “But I basically tell them we have a long way to go, that’s very early in the administration.”

When asked whether he was serious or joking about the third term’s comments, Trump said, “I’m not kidding.”

“It’s too early to think about it,” he said. Elsewhere in the interview, he added that he is focusing on the “current” period.

Since taking office, Trump has suggested on several occasions that he would like to serve a third term as he has said that the 22nd amendment to the US Constitution “should not be elected more than twice in the President’s Office.” The amendment was ratified in 1951 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times in a row. Roosevelt was the only president in US history to be elected either in the third or fourth term.

A few days after Trump took office in January, Rep. Andy Ogres (R-Tenn.) proposed an amendment to the constitution that would allow the president to be elected in three terms. However, to amend the constitution, two-thirds of legislative members must vote for approval, and then three-quarters of state legislative legislatives must ratify it.

Explaining why he wants to seek a third term, Trump said, “I have to start by saying that I have the highest poll of any Republican for the past 100 years.”

“We see it in the ’70s with a lot of polls, in real polls, and then, and you know, we’re very popular,” Trump said.

When asked about how he will be elected for the third term, Trump told NBC News there might be a way to do so.

NBC’s Kristen Welker provided him with a hypothetical situation.

In response, Trump said, “Well, it’s one. But there are others. There are others.”

“Can you tell me something else?” Welker asked Trump. “No,” he said.

The 12th Amendment, ratified in 1804, states that “a person who is not constitutionally ineligible to the President’s Office cannot qualify as a Vice President of the United States.”

Also in an interview, Trump was asked why he wanted to continue being president. Welker explained that it was “the toughest job in the country.”

“Well, I like to work,” Trump replied.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.