Donald Trump has discussed the possibility of running for a third presidential term, inspiring one of his largest donors to offer him a quarter of a billion dollars.
The president was hosting a reception with Miriam Adelson Tuesday night when he opined about serving four more years in the White House – a move that would be unprecedented and largely considered unconstitutional.
Adelson, the wife of late Israeli-American billionaire Sheldon Adelson, gave over $100million to Trump during the last election cycle. She even pitched a third White House run to Trump’s impeachment lawyer Alan Dershowitz – who loved the idea.
‘I met Alan Dershowitz and he said the legal thing about four more years and I said, “Alan, I agree with you.” So, we can do it. Think about it!’ she said at the Hanukkah reception.
Trump briefly looked for Dershowitz in the crowd before suggesting Adelson was ready to pony up more campaign cash, all while the crowd chanted ‘four more years.’
The president quipped: ‘She said think about it, I’ll give you another $250million!’
As the crowd laughed, Adelson could be heard saying: ‘I will give.’
Dershowitz, the famous lawyer who defended Trump during his impeachment trial, has written a new book about whether the president can run again and even discussed it with Trump.
Donald Trump briefly discussed whether he could Constitutionally run for a third term, inspiring one of his largest donors to offer him a quarter of a billion dollars to do it
Alan Dershowitz (pictured),the famous lawyer who defended Trump during his impeachment trial, has written a new book about whether the president can run again and even discussed it with Trump
‘I said it’s not clear if a president can become a third term president and it’s not clear if it’s permissible,’ Dershowitz admitted to the Wall Street Journal.
The attorney gave Trump a copy of his upcoming book, titled Could President Trump Constitutionally Serve a Third Term? and said the the president seemed engaged.
‘He found it interesting as an intellectual issue. Do I think he’s going to run for a third term? No, I don’t think he will run for a third term,’ the lawyer said.
Adelson, however, was much more motivated when they met at the White House, according to Dershowitz, asking him: ‘Is this real? Oh, my God, I hope this can happen.’
A spokesperson for the president didn’t say yes or no to another run but hyped the president’s accomplishments in his second term.
‘There has never been an Administration that has accomplished as much in less than one year than the Trump Administration,’ Abigail Jackson told Axios.
‘The American people would be lucky to have President Trump in office for even longer.’
The 79-year-old president last brought the issue up in late October, when he largely poured cold water on it.
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The president (pictured left) joked at a White House reception with Miriam Adelson (pictured right) Tuesday night about the possibility, which has been discussed and largely dismissed as Trump goes through his first year back in office
‘I have the best numbers for any president in many years, any president, and I would say, you read it, it’s pretty clear I’m not allowed to run,’ Trump said about the Constitution. ‘It’s too bad. But we have a lot of great people.’
Earlier that same week, he was asked about comments by Steve Bannon saying there was a ‘plan’ in place.
‘I would love to do it,’ he then said. ‘I have my best numbers ever.’
When a reporter asked the president if he was not ruling it out, he repeated the question back.
‘Am I not ruling it out? You’ll have to tell me,’ the president answered.
Trump did say he wouldn’t try to utilize a possible loophole and run for vice president instead.
‘I think the people wouldn’t like that. It’s too cute. It wouldn’t be right,’ he said.
Democrats and critics of Trump in his own party have called out his third term talk, pointing to what happened during the transition period after the Republican lost reelection in 2020 to President Joe Biden.
Trump attempted to stay in power by falsely claiming Biden had stolen the election using widespread voter fraud.
In reality, Biden won the election but Republicans were angry that so many state legislatures allowed for the proliferation of mail-in ballots, something that was being done due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The 22nd Amendment to the US clearly states that ‘no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.’
