More Supreme Court Justices are speaking on a potential 3rd Trump term.
Washington, D.C. – Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has finally weighed in on one of the most controversial political questions in America today: Can President Donald Trump legally run for a third term in office?
This explosive issue revolves around the 22nd Amendment, which says no one can be elected president more than twice. This applies to President Trump, even though his two terms are non-consecutive. The amendment was passed after Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt broke tradition by serving four terms, leading both parties to demand limits on presidential power.
But despite this constitutional safeguard, Trump has repeatedly teased the possibility of a 2028 run, refusing to give a firm “no.” In August, he told CNBC’s Squawk Box that he would “probably not” run again — but millions of his supporters aren’t convinced.
If Trump decides to challenge the amendment, the Supreme Court would be forced to make a historic ruling that could shape the future of the presidency forever.
Sotomayor’s Careful Words
During an interview on The View, former Trump aide-turned-critic Alyssa Farah Griffin asked Justice Sotomayor whether the 22nd Amendment would definitively block Trump from running again.
Sotomayor chose her words carefully:
“No one has tried to challenge that. Until somebody does, you don’t know for sure,” she said. “The Constitution is the highest law in the United States, and this is what it says.”
Her cautious response signals that the Supreme Court would have to consider any challenge carefully — without publicly prejudging the issue.
Legal Experts Warn of Loopholes
Several top constitutional scholars are now weighing in, and their opinions are divided.
- Brian Kalt, a law professor at Michigan State University, said the 22nd Amendment has a “dangerous ambiguity.”
- While it clearly blocks a third election, he says it’s not 100% clear whether a two-term president could return to power through other means — for example, by being elected vice president and then taking over if the sitting president resigned or passed away.
- Jeremy Paul, former dean of Northeastern University School of Law, strongly rejected this idea: “I cannot imagine a scenario where the Supreme Court would allow anyone to serve three terms.”
- Paul Collins, professor at UMass Amherst, said the language is crystal clear: “It would take extreme legal gymnastics to argue otherwise. The Court would uphold the plain wording of the amendment.”
Even conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, when asked by Fox News, was blunt:
“That’s why the amendment was passed — after FDR had four terms, to prevent anyone from staying in power that long again.”
Why Trump Keeps Hinting at 2028
Some political insiders believe President Trump’s occasional comments about a third term are strategic.
By refusing to rule it out, Trump avoids looking like a lame duck president and keeps both supporters and opponents on edge.
However, legal experts agree: if Trump were to announce a 2028 run, lawsuits would be filed immediately, fast-tracking the issue to the Supreme Court.
Bottom Line
The Supreme Court appears unlikely to approve a third Trump term. Still, experts warn that creative legal arguments could emerge — and if they do, it will be up to the Court to decide.
For now, President Trump’s third-term hints keep Americans guessing… and the political world on edge.