John Dean on Trump third term talk: 'He likes constitutional end runs'
John Dean, former White House counsel for the Nixon administration, weighed in on President Trump contemplating a third term, saying the president “likes constitutional end runs.”
Dean during an appearance on CNN highlighted Trump’s remarks in which the president said he was “not joking” about a possible third term. Trump ally Steve Bannon has endorsed the president for a 2028 run.
Trump "likes constitutional end runs," Dean said.
"That's what Bannon was talking about, and that's what seems to be on his mind, is how he can get around the very clear language of the 22nd Amendment, which precludes getting reelected to more than two terms."
During a Sunday interview with Trump, NBC News’s Kristen Welker said it didn’t sound like the president was joking about another term.
“No, no, I’m not joking,” Trump replied.
The president is constitutionally restricted to two terms, but when asked about how he would run again, Trump said “there are methods.”
Welker also asked if it was possible that Vice President Vance ran at the top of the GOP ticket with Trump as his running mate, and then left office so Trump would become president through succession.
Trump said that was one option, “but there are others.”
Dean noted it would “redefine” the Constitution if Trump were to attempt another term and highlighted Welker’s succession theory.
“This is really obtuse,” he said, adding, “It’s been debated for a lot of years."
He added that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Clinton, in addition to former President Obama, examined the same issue.
“A lot of people thought Obama should go for another term. He didn’t. He read the Constitution and said, ‘No, I’m not for end runs,’” Dean said.