U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated Sunday that it would be “a heavy lift” for Donald Trump to pursue a third term as president as a legal endeavor. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Bondi indicated, “I wish we could have him for 20 years as our president,” but indicated his prospects most likely would run their course after this term.
The U.S. Constitution in 1947 changed to put a two-term limit on the presidency, following Franklin Roosevelt’s death during his fourth term early. A two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states are required to amend the Constitution, a feat experts deem extremely unlikely.
“That’s really the only way to do it,”
Bondi stated, referencing the hurdles lying ahead.
Trump’s recent public statements on running for a third term have caused eyebrows to be raised, but the 78-year-old president told NBC News on March 31 that he was “not joking” when mentioning the option, citing there are “methods” to make this occur.
Bondi’s observations on the legal challenges are in line with the opinions of many constitutional experts. But as a well-known Trump ally serving in a high-profile law enforcement position, her comments are all the more significant.
In the same interview, Bondi described the sweeping legal fights the Trump administration has faced. “We’ve had over 170 lawsuits filed against us — that should be the constitutional crisis right there,” she said, vowing to continue fighting these fights as they move through the courts.
She also defended the administration’s decision to pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, charged with murdering health insurance executive Brian Thompson on a New York street on Dec. 4, 2024. “The president’s directive was very clear: we are to pursue the death penalty where possible,” said Bondi. “If there was ever a death case, this is one.”
In a recent court fight, the Supreme Court sided with the administration on the Education Department’s freeze on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) grants, opening the door to continuing a freeze on $64 million in funds used for teacher training and professional development. Bondi hailed this victory, saying, “We just got a great win, and we’ll continue to fight every day.”
