Justices Barrett and Sotomayor Push Back on Talk of a Trump Third Term

Two U.S. Supreme Court justices — one conservative and one liberal — weighed in this week on speculation about the possibility of a third term for President Donald Trump, both pointing to the Constitution’s clear language that limits presidents to two terms.

The discussion centers on the 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951 following the four-term presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. It states plainly that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was appointed to the high court by Trump in his first term, told Fox News host Bret Baier that the amendment’s intent is clear. “That’s what the amendment says, right? After FDR had four terms, that’s what that amendment says,” Barrett remarked during an interview aired Monday.

Meanwhile, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the senior liberal justice, was asked about the same issue Tuesday during an appearance on ABC’s The View. “The Constitution is settled law. No one has tried to challenge that,” she said. “But it is in the Constitution, and one should understand that there’s nothing that is the greater law in the United States than the Constitution of the United States.”

Trump has frequently teased the idea of pursuing a third term, with campaign merchandise even promoting “Trump 2028” caps. Whether serious or symbolic, those statements have fueled speculation and debate.

While both Barrett and Sotomayor stopped short of declaring the matter fully “settled,” their remarks highlight bipartisan agreement among the justices that the 22nd Amendment stands as a barrier to a third presidential term.

The comments come as the Supreme Court faces a series of emergency cases tied to Trump’s consolidation of executive power. Barrett has often sided with Trump in such cases, while Sotomayor has regularly dissented.

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