President Trump recently claimed that methods exist for him to serve more than two terms. The overarching motivation for Trump to remain president is to avoid having to defend himself in court against civil and criminal offenses that could be brought against him once he becomes a private citizen. But for Trump to succeed, he will need the US Supreme Court to rule in his favor in cases that determine whether he can remain in power.
In my view, the empirical evidence showing that justices have voted along ideological lines in many cases creates uncertainty about whether the Supreme Court would prevent Trump from overturning democracy by staying in power past the end of his second term. The key swing justices, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, can eliminate this uncertainty now by stating unequivocally that in accordance with the 22nd amendment, Trump must leave office in January 2029, at the end of his second term.
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