Copyright The Daily Beast
Fox News host Mark Levin blasted fellow MAGA figurehead Steve Bannon for suggesting there was a “plan” for Donald Trump to seek a third term in office. Levin lashed out at Bannon, one of the president’s staunchest allies, after Trump finally admitted on Wednesday that the Constitution makes it “pretty clear” he cannot stay in office beyond his second term. “Third Reich Bannon, a confessed and convicted fraudster-felon, once again has lied to his audience,” Levin added. “And once again, the media kept reporting what this clown had to say—that the president would run for a third term. He lies to his audience, the left-wing media promote him, and he’s a self-serving impotent demagogue.” The 22nd Amendment bars anyone from serving as president more than twice. Despite this, Trump and some of his allies have hinted at ways to circumvent the rule and allow the 79-year-old to run again in 2028. In an interview with The Economist this week, Bannon told Americans to “get accommodated” to the idea of Trump seeking an unconstitutional third term. When asked directly about the 22nd Amendment, Bannon said: “There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is. But there’s a plan, and President Trump will be the president in ’28.” Veteran GOP operative Roger Stone, another fierce Trump loyalist, also condemned Bannon’s claim. “The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution makes it impossible for Donald Trump to have another term,” Stone wrote on X. “Steve Bannon, who knows little about American politics, does know this. This is an attempt by a slovenly buffoon and Jeffrey Epstein associate to get clicks.” Talk of Trump running again in 2028 seemingly started as a trolling tactic, or an excuse to excite his MAGA base during speeches. Trump soon began taking the idea more seriously, including telling NBC News in March that he was “not joking” about considering a third term in office, and admitting on Monday that he would “love” to run again while not ruling out trying to do so. Ultimately, Trump shot down the 2028 dreams on Wednesday, citing the Constitution. “If you read it, it’s pretty clear. I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad,” he told reporters on Air Force One. “But we have a lot of great people.”
