Trump signals openness to third term, floats legal workarounds and ramps up tariff threats on Russia and Iran

US President Donald Trump - File Photo

US President Donald Trump on Sunday left the door open to seeking a third term in office, declaring in a televised interview that he was “not joking” about the idea and hinting at possible legal methods to bypass the Constitution’s two-term limit, the New York Times reported.

The interview also featured Trump’s most forceful criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin to date and fresh threats to impose harsh economic penalties on nations tied to Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

A third term? Trump says ‘methods’ exist to circumvent limits

In an interview with Meet the Press, Trump told host Kristen Welker that “a lot of people” want him to serve a third term, and that while he was focused on the present, the idea wasn’t off the table. “No, no I’m not joking,” he said. “I’m not joking.” When pressed on whether any concrete plans were being developed, Trump said there were “methods which you could do it,” citing one option — a future Trump-aligned ticket in which his vice president could step aside after winning office.

Legal scholars were quick to dismiss the likelihood of such a manoeuvre. Derek T. Muller, a constitutional law expert at Notre Dame, noted that the 22nd Amendment explicitly bars anyone from being elected president more than twice, and the 12th Amendment blocks anyone ineligible for the presidency from being elected vice president. “You’d have to have so many pieces fall into place for this even to be practically viable,” Muller said.

Still, the conversation marks a shift from Trump’s previous treatment of the subject as a joke. His allies in Congress have already floated proposals to repeal the 22nd Amendment, though such a constitutional change would face steep legislative hurdles.

Tariffs on the table as Trump expresses frustration with Putin

Trump’s wide-ranging remarks included a veiled warning to Putin over Ukraine, saying he was “very angry, pissed off” that the Russian leader had questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s credibility and floated the idea of new leadership in Kyiv. Trump said such comments made reaching a cease-fire far more difficult.

“If I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump said. The tariffs, he said, would range between 25 and 50 percent and could be imposed “at any moment.”

The move would represent a major escalation of Trump’s use of tariffs as a foreign policy weapon. He previously imposed similar measures on buyers of Venezuelan oil and warned of additional penalties on Iran unless it agreed to curb its nuclear ambitions.

Rhetoric toward Iran hardens as negotiations stall

Trump confirmed that backchannel talks with Iran are ongoing, following his recent letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing direct negotiations to avoid military conflict. But he warned

that if a deal isn’t reached, “there will be bombing — bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”

The threat underscores Trump’s renewed willingness to pair diplomacy with blunt ultimatums. He said that if economic and diplomatic measures fail to restrain Iran’s nuclear program, military action would be the inevitable next step.

A doctrine of economic coercion: secondary tariffs as a new tool

Trump’s proposed use of secondary tariffs — penalties on countries that buy oil from adversarial nations — represents a novel adaptation of traditional sanctions strategy. These measures would target global energy flows by blocking access to U.S. markets for any nation that does business with Russia, Iran, or Venezuela.

“This would be a major shift in trade policy and foreign relations,” said Edward Fishman, a former US State Department official. While the US has previously used secondary sanctions, Trump’s model relies on tariffs — a mechanism typically used in trade disputes, not geopolitical enforcement.

The administration’s aggressive posture has drawn scepticism from trade experts, who question whether the U.S. has the enforcement capacity to implement these wide-reaching measures. They also warn of blowback from allies like India and China, major buyers of Russian and Iranian oil.

Putin-Zelensky tensions complicate fragile Ukraine truce

Trump’s threats to Russia came amid a tenuous truce in Ukraine. While limited airstrikes have decreased, talks over a broader cease-fire remain deadlocked. Trump administration officials have pushed for a full halt in combat, but Russia is demanding concessions, and Ukraine is wary of Moscow’s intentions.

Trump criticised Putin’s remarks about replacing Zelensky, saying they undermined the peace process. “New leadership means you’re not going to have a deal for a long time,” Trump said. The comments reflect growing tension between the two leaders, despite Trump’s long-standing admiration for the Russian president.