California Governor Gavin Newsom says President Donald Trump may want to stay president longer than the rules allow. He warned people to “wake up” to the possibility.
At a meeting in Sacramento, Newsom said Trump “doesn’t believe in free, fair elections” and might not even want another election.
Newsom pointed to Trump’s plan to build a giant ballroom in the White House, similar to one at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. He asked, “Who spends $200 million on a ballroom and then leaves the house?”
Newsom also shared a private talk with Trump in February. In the Oval Office, Trump pointed to a picture of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only president who served more than two terms, and talked a lot about the idea of serving a third term.
A new poll shows that many Republicans would support Trump running again in 2028, even though the Constitution says a president can only serve two terms. The poll found over half of Republicans liked the idea, but most Democrats and independents did not.
Trump has given mixed answers. In May, he told NBC that he knows he can’t run again, saying, “To the best of my knowledge, you’re not allowed to do that.” Still, his Trump Store has sold “Trump 2028” hats, and at other times he has said people encourage him to try.
Right now, Trump says he only plans to serve two terms — eight years in total — and then hand power to another Republican. But his past comments leave some people wondering if he really plans to step down.