Trump just joked about being president for life — for the 6th time


President Trump apparently likes to toy with the Constitution.
In a tweetstorm on Thursday, Trump spun from touting that day's White House social media summit to providing some nicknames for 2020 Democrats. But in between, he made at least his sixth joke about staying in office for a few extra years.
Trump started by saying that he'll "ultimately leave office in six years," which has a good chance of coming true, but added that it could be "10 or 14." Trump did add "just kidding" after this obviously unconstitutional idea, but it's far from the first time he's made it.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In March of last year, Trump tossed around the idea of being "president for life" after praising China's President Xi Jinping for granting that same term extension to himself. He brought up the subject again this April at a White House event, specifically using the same "10 or 14 years" to describe his potential time left in office.
In May, Trump retweeted Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr.'s suggestion that he's owed "2 yrs added to his 1st term" due to distractions caused by the Mueller investigation. Last month, Trump tweeted again to ask if the "people would demand I stay longer." And a few weeks later, Trump retweeted an absurd meme video showing him running for reelection in the year 90,000, suggesting that both the Constitution and the finite amount of energy contained within the human body do not apply to him.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
August 10 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a global plastics problem, GOP enthusiasm over tariffs, and more
-
5 thin-skinned cartoons about shooting the messenger
Cartoons Artists take on unfavorable weather, a look in the mirror, and more
-
Is Trump's new peacemaking model working in DR Congo?
Talking Point Truce brokered by the US president in June is holding, but foundations of a long-term peace have let to be laid
-
Trump officials reinstating 2 Confederate monuments
Speed Read The administration has plans to 'restore Confederate names and symbols' discarded in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 murder
-
Trump nominates Powell critic for vacant Fed seat
speed read Stephen Miran, the chair of Trump's Council of Economic Advisers and a fellow critic of Fed chair Jerome Powell, has been nominated to fill a seat on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein files
Speed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts