Explainer: Debunking the ‘leaked CPAC memo’ on a ‘Trump third term’

A “leaked CPAC memo” is making the rounds on the interwebs this week, hyping a supposed “plan” to enact a constitutional amendment allowing a president to serve three terms.

Good news: this isn’t anything new.

A Kentucky MAGA congressman, Andy Ogles, filed a joint resolution proposing the constitutional amendment way back on Jan. 23, so, on the fourth day of Donald Trump’s second term in the White House.

Or, nine months ago.

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ICYMI

• A third term for Donald Trump? Not possible, constitutionally or otherwise

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The “memo” in question is a press release touting a Feb. 20 event titled “The Case for Presidential Tenure Reform” being sponsored by something called Third Term Project.

Third Term Project, per its website, is itself an offshoot of an outfit calling itself Republicans for National Renewal, a 501(c)(4) headquartered in Dover, Del., which has hosted events hosting the likes of White nationalist provocateurs Jack Posobiec, James O’Keefe and Corey Stewart, the latter being the spiritual father of the infamous 2017 Unite the Right rally.

Per the Third Term Project website, the folks there seem to think that amending the Constitution is a simple thing – asserting that the Constitution “can be amended by an act of Congress,” which, if only it were that simple.

In reality, a constitutional amendment requires two-thirds votes of each house of Congress, then approval by three-quarters of state legislatures, which is to say, in this day and age of divided government, the Constitution ain’t getting amended to do anything anytime soon.

The joint resolution filed by Ogles was clearly a publicity stunt – the Congressional Record shows that it was referred to the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 23, the day it was introduced, and no further action has been taken since

But then, everything about the “Trump third term” is a publicity stunt, oriented toward “owning the libs,” riling folks up – which, it works – and distracting from the coming MAGA civil war.

To wit, who inherits the Trump legacy once the Geezer-in-Chief ships off to the sunset?

They at least want to get through the bloodbath that will be the 2026 midterms before that additional bloodletting commences.