President-elect Donald Trump quipped about running for a third term during a meeting with House Republicans on Wednesday.
Trump's meeting with House Republicans comes just over a week after his victory against Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race, which saw him sweep every key battleground state in his bid to return to the White House. House Republicans are also holding leadership elections on Wednesday as control of the House of Representatives remains uncalled by major networks as several House races remain close.
During the meeting, which preceded Trump's meeting with President Joe Biden in the White House, Trump quipped about the possibility of running for a third term. The remark sparked Democratic outrage, though others said his comment was simply a joke.
"I suspect I won't be running again, unless you say, 'he's so good, we've got to figure something else," he said.
No president can run for more than two terms, according to the 22nd Amendment, which was ratified in 1951. It was passed after after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death served an unprecedented four terms, breaking the longstanding two-term norm.
"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once," the amendment reads.
The comment drew a range of responses on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
"There you go," posted columnist and Trump critic Wajahat Ali.
"Trump is already suggesting that he'd be open to running for a third term," posted the X account Republican Voters Against Trump.
"I know you will all say, 'he was just joking,' but this is not something you even remotely consider joking about," wrote Brian Krassenstein.
Fox News reporter Liz Elkind wrote, "Sources in the room say Trump was joking here."
Newsweek reached out to the Trump team for comment via email.
Trump previously told Time magazine that he would not be supportive of changing the 22nd Amendment.
"I wouldn't be in favor of a challenge. Not for me. I wouldn't be in favor of it at all. I intend to serve four years and do a great job. And I want to bring our country back. I want to put it back on the right track," he said.
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