トランプ氏、３期目狙い「冗談で言っていない」

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】ドナルド・トランプ米大統領（７８）は３０日、米ＮＢＣニュースの電話インタビューで、合衆国憲法が禁じている「３期目」を目指す可能性を再び示唆した。（写真は、米バージニア州フレデリックスバーグからワシントンへ戻る大統領専用機内で、取材に応じるドナルド・トランプ大統領）
　憲法は、大統領任期を通算「２期８年」に制限している。だが、トランプ氏は過去にも、それ以上の在任をほのめかす発言を行ってきた。
　さらなる任期を目指すとする自身の発言について、ＮＢＣのインタビューでただされると、トランプ氏は「冗談で言っているのではない」と述べ、「実現させる方法はある」と指摘した。
　さらに、自身が再選を目指すことを可能にする計画を提示されたとも発言。ＮＢＣ側から、Ｊ・Ｄ・バンス副大統領が大統領選に出馬し、当選後にトランプ氏に大統領職を譲るというシナリオについて尋ねると、「それも一つの方法だ」と認め、「他にも方法がある」としたが、詳細は明かさなかった。
　この日は大統領専用機内でも記者団に対し、「あと４年の任期があり、それは長い時間だ。だが、非常に多くの人が再度出馬すべきだと言っている。彼らはわれわれがやっている仕事を気に入っている」と発言。
　２０２９年１月２０日に退任するつもりはあるかと聞かれると、軽く受け流すように「そのことについては考えていない。ただ、３期目を望む声を今まで以上に聞いている」と重ねて語った。
　憲法を改正して大統領の３選を可能にするには、上下両院で３分の２の賛成を得るか、全米５０州のうち３分の２による憲法制定会議の招集が必要とされる。米国ではこれまで２７の憲法修正条項すべてが議会経由でなされており、憲法制定会議方式で行われた例は一つもない。
　今年１月のトランプ氏の政権復帰から数日後、共和党のアンディ・オグルス下院議員（テネシー州選出）は、大統領に最大３期の在任を認める憲法修正案を提出した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/03/31-18:39）

Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his suggestion he might seek a third term as president, which would defy the two-term limit stipulated in the US Constitution.
In a Sunday morning phone call with NBC News, Trump said I'm not joking, when asked to clarify a remark on seeking another term, adding: There are methods which you could do it.
The 78-year-old billionaire has a long history of suggesting he might serve more than two terms, but Sunday's remarks -- followed by comments to reporters aboard Air Force One -- were the most concrete in terms of referring to plans in place to achieve the goal.
Trump has launched his second presidency with an unprecedented demonstration of executive power, using the world's richest man Elon Musk to dismantle swaths of the government, and said his supporters want even more.
We have almost four years to go and that's a long time but despite that so many people are saying you've got to run again. They love the job we're doing, Trump said Sunday aboard the presidential jet, apparently referring to his political allies and supporters.
Trump appeared to wave off a reporter's question about whether he is planning not to leave office on January 20, 2029, the next Inauguration Day, saying: I'm not looking at that, but I'll tell you, I have had more people ask me to have a third term.
Earlier in the day Trump told NBC he had been presented with plans that would allow him to seek reelection.
When the network asked Trump of a possible scenario whereby Vice President JD Vance would run for president and then abdicate the role to Trump, the president said that's one method.
He added that there are others, but refused to share further details.
Amending the US Constitution to allow a third presidential term would require a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and Senate, which Trump's Republican Party does not have, or a constitutional convention called by two thirds of the states that would propose changes to the charter.
Both routes appear to be unlikely, given the current number of states and Congressional seats under Republican control.
Whether he goes through Congress or the states, he would then require ratification from three-quarters of all state legislatures.
A constitutional convention has never been successfully called in the United States, where all 27 constitutional amendments have been passed by the congressional method.
In January, days after Trump took office, Republican Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a House joint resolution to amend the constitution to allow presidents up to three terms.