Some folks are now seriously considering ways that DJT could get a 3rd term in office, assuming he lives that long. Politico writes:
It’s the stuff of liberal nightmares and MAGA dreams: a third Trump term.
But it can’t happen, right? After all, the Constitution imposes an explicit two-term limit on the presidency — even if those two terms, like Trump’s, are non-consecutive. “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice,” the 22nd Amendment mandates.
Even Trump, notorious for bending norms and breaking laws, couldn’t possibly circumvent that clear constitutional stricture, right?
Don’t be so sure.
Around the globe, when rulers consolidate power through a cult of personality, they do not tend to surrender it willingly, even in the face of constitutional limits. And Trump, of course, already has a track record of trying to remain in office beyond his lawful tenure.If Trump decided he wanted to hold onto power past 2028, there are at least four paths he could try:Each path would face serious political, legal and practical impediments. But the prospect of a third Trump term shouldn’t be dismissed with a hand wave.
- He could generate a movement to repeal the 22nd Amendment directly.
- He could exploit a little-noticed loophole in the amendment that might allow him to run for vice president and then immediately ascend back to the presidency.
- He could run for president again on the bet that a pliant Supreme Court won’t stop him.
- Or he could simply refuse to leave — and put a formal end to America’s democratic experiment.
Trump, after all, is definitely not dismissing the prospect. He’s been openly floating it for years.
In August 2020, he told supporters: “We are going to win four more years. And then after that, we’ll go for another four years.”
One can only wonder what horrors are in store for us.
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DJT blamed Biden and DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) for the tragic airplane and helicopter crash in Washington DC a couple of days ago. He has no evidence of DEI involvement. So instead of asserting evidence, he claimed his allegation is a matter of common sense. The fact is that the control tower was understaffed because DJT gets rid of federal employees and weakens the FAA.
It is therefore a matter of fair and balanced common sense to believe that since DJT is the president, the FAA is under his control, and DJT weakened the FAA because he hates and wants to get rid of government, the tragic accident and the deaths are his fault.
Henceforth, we can rationally blame DJT of the accident and the deaths. We can refer to it as "Trump's catastrophe."
And, for some context:
Q: What actions did Trump take regarding the FAA in the days before the air disaster in Washington DC?A: In the days preceding the midair collision near Washington, D.C., the Trump administration implemented significant changes to federal aviation oversight:Leadership and Personnel Changes
FAA Leadership Vacancy: The FAA was without permanent leadership at the time of the crash, as Administrator Michael Whitaker resigned during the transition period after clashing with Trump ally Elon Musk.
TSA and Coast Guard Firings: Trump dismissed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator David Pekoske and Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan, both critical to aviation and maritime security.
Advisory Committee Dissolution: All members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee—a panel established post-1988 PanAm bombing to advise on safety—were removed.Policy Shifts
Federal Hiring Freeze: On January 20, Trump issued an executive order freezing civilian federal hiring, including air traffic controllers, despite bipartisan legislation mandating their recruitment. Critics warned this could exacerbate existing staffing shortages.DEI Rollbacks: On January 21, Trump signed an order eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the FAA, reverting to “merit-based” hiring. This followed claims that DEI policies lowered standards, though no evidence linked these changes to the crash.
Of course none of that supports or contradicts DJT's excuses or his critics allegations. A serious professional investigation is needed. One can reasonably believe that a neutral, professional investigation will never happen. Given his track record, DJT will make damn sure any investigation will show he had nothing to do with it, even if he did. Nonetheless, it is a fact that DJT was president and the disaster happened on his watch. On that basis alone this is Trump's catastrophe.
The buck stops with DJT. He demanded power and fought dirty to get it. Now he has it, everything is on him.
