PolitifactNC

Fact check: Facebook post says Trump can run for president 2 more times

As the U.S. Senate continues the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, a meme is circulating claiming that if the Senate does not convict, Trump can run for president two more times.

Posted Updated

By
Tom Kertscher
, PolitiFact reporter
WASHINGTON — As the U.S. Senate continues the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, a meme is circulating claiming that, if the Senate does not convict, Trump can run for president two more times.

The grammatically challenged post reads:

"Want to blow a snowflakes mind? Remind them if Trump is impeached in the house & not senate, he can run 2 more times. The U.S. Constitution states that if a president is impeached by the House but not convicted by the Senate, that person’s first term is nullified and they are eligible to run for office two more times."

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

Back in October, we rated a nearly identical claim Pants on Fire.

This one is also going up in flames.

"It’s totally false. Ludicrous. Wholly made up," said Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe, co-author of "To End a Presidency: The Power of Impeachment."

It’s as simple as the beginning of Section 1 of the 22nd Amendment, University of Missouri law professor and impeachment expert Frank Bowman told us. It reads:

"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."

No person can be elected three times. Trump was elected in 2016, so he can win election only one more time. No impeachment exception.

Pants on Fire

PolitiFact ruling

A Facebook post claims: "If Trump is impeached in the house & not senate, he can run 2 more times."

Plain and simple, a person can be elected to only two terms as president. No exceptions.

We rate the claim Pants on Fire.