White House says US would be “lucky” to have Trump stay in office after current term

A White House spokesperson says that the U.S. would be “lucky” if Donald Trump served a third term as president.

The comments come after lawyer Alan Dershowitz, a staunch ally of Trump, shared a draft of his forthcoming book on a third term for Trump with the Wall Street Journal. Dershowitz said he told the president that “it’s not clear” if a third term is “permissible,” despite it being unlawful under the 22nd Amendment.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson praised the administration and encouraged the idea of Trump retaining the presidency.

“There has never been an Administration that has accomplished as much in less than one year than the Trump administration,” Jackson said in an email to Axios. “The American people would be lucky to have President Trump in office for even longer.”   

The comments from the Trump administration are the latest in a series of flirtations with an unlawful third term. Trump said in March that he was “not joking” about running for a third term, but said it was “too early” to commit to anything.

Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, said “a plan” is in place to ensure a third term. “He’s gonna get a third term, Trump ‘28,” Bannon said in October. “Trump is gonna be president ‘28, so people just ought to get accommodated with that.”   

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Following Bannon’s comments, Trump said he “would love” to run for another term. “I have my best numbers,” Trump told reporters in October. “Am I not ruling it out? You’ll have to tell me.”

When speaking with the WSJ, Dershowitz was clear about what he thought of Trump’s third term intentions. “Do I think he’s going to run for a third term? No, I don’t think he will run for a third term,” Dershowitz said, echoing House Speak Mike Johnson‘s, R-La., claim that Trump “recognizes the limitations” of the Constitution.