Former President Donald Trump provoked his critics on Saturday by openly referring to a third term as president during remarks at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting.
“You know, FDR served 16 years, almost 16 years, and he served four terms. I don’t know, does that count as a three-term term? Or a two-term term?” Trump asked.
Several attendees could be heard shouting “Three” back.
The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, enacted in the 1950s, prohibits a person from being elected president more than twice.
Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt won four presidential elections before the Constitution was amended. He died during his tenure in 1945.
President Trump previously poured cold water on the prospect of repealing the 22nd Amendment.
“I don’t agree with that at all. I’m going to serve four years and do a great job. And I want our country back. I want to get it back on the right track. Our country is in decline. . We are a nation in decline. We are a nation in turmoil.” he told Time magazine last month.
He also tracked down He spoke about his third term in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” last September.
If he wins and serves a second term, he will be 82 years old at the end of his term, taking over President Biden’s title as the oldest president in U.S. history.
Trump has occasionally floated the idea of running for a third term during his campaign.
“We’re going to win four more years.” President Trump declares at rally “Then it’s going to go on for another four years because they spied on my campaign. I’m going to have to give them another four years.”
Trump also infuriated his rivals last year by suggesting he only wanted to be dictator for one day.
President Trump’s remarks Saturday to gun rights supporters in Dallas denounced President Biden and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as “radical leftists.”
“If we have four more years of the Biden administration, they’re going to come and take away our guns,” Trump warned.
“Crooked Joe Biden has a 40-year history of trying to take firearms out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.”
The 45th president also once again won the support of the NRA. The group previously supported him in 2016 and 2020.
“Supporting the proud patriots of the NRA. They are great patriots. Great people. We are going to do something no one would ever believe.” President Trump declared.
In his speech, President Trump vowed to fire the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and repeal the Biden administration’s policies regarding firearms.
“In my second term, I intend to reverse all of Biden’s attacks on the Second Amendment. The attacks have been swift and ferocious,” President Trump said.
Vice President Kamala Harris immediately condemned President Trump’s comments.
“It’s clear that Donald Trump meant it when he said that Americans who are tired of horrific gun violence should get over it,” Harris said in a statement.
“President Biden and I have worked with grieving families, and it would be unconscionable to tell them to ‘get over it.'” We are collaborating on a solution.”
