Is Donald Trump Preparing for a Third Term as President? Constitutional Challenges Are Solvable, But What Do Americans Think?

Is Donald Trump Preparing for a Third Term as President? Constitutional Challenges Are Solvable, But What Do Americans Think?

Washington, April 4, 2025. According to a joint survey conducted by the British polling firm YouGov and The Economist magazine, most Americans believe that current U.S. President Donald Trump should not be allowed to run for the country’s highest office in 2028.

The survey revealed that 68% of participants do not support the idea of Trump seeking a third presidential term, while only 20% support it. At the same time, a majority (56%) of respondents are confident that the current U.S. president will attempt to run in the next election, though 28% expressed the opposite opinion.

The survey also indicated that current U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and his Democratic predecessor Kamala Harris are seen as the leading presidential candidates. Among Republicans, 69% support Vance's candidacy. Following him are Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (42%) and President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr. (39%). On the Democratic side, Harris (58%) is the top contender, with former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (39%) and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (38%) following.

Most respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their supported party's actions (37% of Republicans and 33% of Democrats). However, those who support both parties’ actions stand at 14% for Republicans and 5% for Democrats. Still, they believe the Republican Party is more united than its opposition (53% vs. 23%).

This survey was conducted among over 1,600 American citizens between March 30 and April 1, with a margin of error no greater than 3.3 percentage points.

Trump's Third-Term Possibility

Trump had previously told NBC News that he was "not joking" about running for a third term as president, although later the White House press pool reported that he currently wishes to avoid discussing the matter.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1951, states, "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice." NBC News had previously clarified that there are two ways for Trump to run for a third term: the first is by gaining two-thirds support in Congress. The second option is for two-thirds (34) of the 50 states to call a constitutional convention, where the amendment would be proposed. In both cases, approval from 38 out of the 50 states would be required. NBC News reports that, since Republicans hold a clear majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the convention option seems to be the most realistic path.