Donald Trump, 79, Claims He Could Serve Another 2 Terms Amid Health Woes

President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested he could serve more than two terms, despite constitutional restrictions, sort of joking on Monday, May 4, that he might leave office in "eight or nine years.”

These comments have occurred alongside, and sometimes in contradiction to, his statements that he would abide by the two-term limit.

Not everyone was on board with this statement, as The Daily Beast hilariously noted: “The president said he could stay another eight or nine years before touting his ability to identify a squirrel.”

"You know the first question is very easy. They always show the first question: "You have a lion, a bear, an alligator, and a — what's another good — a squirrel, OK?" Which is the squirrel?" the almost-80-year-old POTUS said of his cognitive test.

While noting the animal identification is easy, he asserted that the questions get "very tough" around the middle and end, claiming "nobody's gonna get all 30 questions correct" besides him.

In March 2025, during his second term, Trump told NBC News he was "not joking" about wanting to serve a third term, claiming there were "methods" to get around the 22nd Amendment.

Trump has frequently shifted between saying he would be a "two-term president" and teasing a 2028 run, at times suggesting his allies' efforts to amend the Constitution for a third term were a "compliment.”

Supporters and allies, including Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), have proposed resolutions to amend the 22nd Amendment to allow presidents with non-consecutive terms to serve a third term.

The Trump organization has sold Trump 2028 hats, further driving speculation about a run beyond his second term, which ends in 2029.

Trump is 79 years old and has been seen struggling to stay awake during public events, with reports indicating he is dealing with serious fatigue.

On the day he made these comments, the commander-in-chief appeared to doze off while standing, with his face drooping, as an acolyte delivered a speech next to him.

Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency and has been seen with swollen ankles—or cankles, and severe bruising on his hands, which he attributed to a high daily dose of aspirin.

Doctors have sounded the alarm on his cognitive decline as he brags about acing tests only given to patients suspected of suffering from dementia.

Despite these reports, Trump has frequently claimed his health is "perfect.”

CNN medical analyst and cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Reiner criticized Trump for boasting about passing a "dementia screening tool" (the MoCA test). He later noted that he agrees that candidates should have a "comprehensive medical, cognitive, and psychiatric assessment.”

Health issues aside, there’s also the United States Constitution, whose 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, limits a president to being elected to the office no more than twice.

Changing the Constitution to allow a third term requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, plus ratification by three-quarters of the states, a process considered highly unlikely.

As his popularity and approval rating plummet to historic lows with a Republican bloodbath expected in the November midterms, Trump is desperate to influence Republican primaries against opponents.