Trump is 'going to run for a third term,' Steve Bannon tells Bill Maher
Bannon told Maher that there is currently a 'team' working on the constitutional hurdles preventing a third trump term
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon told Bill Maher that President Donald Trump is "going to run for a third term" on an episode of "Real Time" on Friday night.
During a discussion on the January 6th committee and Bannon's recent release from prison, Bannon mentioned that he refused to testify before the committee, not to protect Trump, but to "stand up for the Constitution."
Maher then told Bannon that he "brought a copy" of the Constitution to the show, and proceeded to read the 22nd Amendment aloud.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Amendment 22. No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice," Maher read, adding, "And yet you keep talking about Trump's — maybe you should have this," before handing the copy of the Constitution to Bannon.
Steve Bannon and Bill Maher clashed over the legality of a possible third term for President Trump. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)(Randy Holmes via Getty Images)
The former Trump advisor clarified that "President Trump didn't bring up running for a third term," and that it was himself and others who were the ones who brought up the idea.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"President Trump is going to run for a third term, and President Trump is going to be elected again on the afternoon of January 20th of 2029. He's going to be President of the United States," Bannon asserted.
"OK, but the thing I just read in there," Maher replied, pointing at the Constitution. "It seemed like there was no wiggle room there, it seemed like it was just, you know, eight or ten words that said only two times."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bannon told Maher that "we have a team of people" who are working on reviewing the amendment.
"How can a team do something about that? I don't care if the team is twelve trillion people, the words are still the words," Maher asked.
Bannon noted that there are currently "120 lawsuits on what President Trump is doing for his Article II rights," and that those who are suing Trump right now are doing so based off of their own interpretation of the Constitution.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Maher, who visited President Trump at the White House on March 31, argued that Trump is not eligible to run for a third term as president due to the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. (Screenshot/HBO; Getty Images)
While holding up a copy of the Constitution, Bannon said, "The interpretation of this [the U.S. Constitution] is open for interpretation."
"How could it be open — could I have it back?" Maher responded, reaching over to take back the copy of the Constitution he gave Bannon.
The late-night host, laughing along with the audience, then went through every word of the 22nd Amendment with Bannon.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I don't see what the ‘team’ is finding," Maher told Bannon, adding that the two will just have to "disagree" on the topic.