As the race for the GOP presidential nomination heats up, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is using a particular detail of the Constitution to distinguish himself from former President Donald Trump as a presidential candidate.
Since Trump has already served one term as president, he is only eligible for one more term. This detail forms the basis of DeSantis’s argument that he is better placed to effect long-term change because he can serve two consecutive terms if elected.
DeSantis highlights benefit of serving two consecutive terms
During recent campaign events in Iowa and New Hampshire, DeSantis underscored his ability to serve two consecutive terms.
“You really need to ensure that we have a two-term president to be able to see this to a conclusion. I mean, you do one term, and they reverse it when they come in. You can’t have it be reversed. We can’t let the bureaucracy just wait us out”, he said.
Trump’s ability to only serve one term could count against him
As confirmed by an NBC News report, the notion that Trump’s potential return to office would be limited to just one term has been seen as a possible avenue of attack by his critics within the GOP.
The Constitution restricts an individual from being elected president more than twice.
DeSantis stressed the importance of a two-term presidency when discussing federal bureaucracy reform.
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He suggested that to combat bureaucracy thoroughly, it’s essential to have a president who can commit to the cause for eight years. He believes this would prevent the reversal of policies by incoming administrations.
DeSantis ready to work hard for eight consecutive years
In the context of his plans to overhaul the federal workforce, DeSantis reinforced the necessity of a committed, hardworking president ready to battle it out every day for eight years.
Furthermore, he argued that substantial changes can’t be made instantly; it takes consistent effort and, realistically, two presidential terms.
Trump has not been oblivious to DeSantis’ subtle jabs. In a public address in Iowa, he confidently stated he could achieve in six months what DeSantis suggests would take eight years.
In a radio interview, Trump argued that if DeSantis needed two terms to turn things around, he might not be the right man for the job.
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Trump vows to turn things around quickly
“I can turn this around so fast, getting inflation down, getting interest rates down, getting the economy back. This is going to take six months. When I hear him saying he needs eight years — if he needs eight years to turn it around, you don’t want him as your president. I can tell you that”, Trump said.
The issue of Trump’s one-term limitation is not considered a major concern among Republicans. However, some believe it could give candidates like DeSantis an edge.
Prior to his campaign launch, DeSantis’ team hinted they would bring attention to Trump’s constitutional limitation.
Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s former acting White House Chief of Staff, suggested that this factor might sway voters away from Trump, giving them an excuse to vote for other candidates who could serve a longer term.
Trump supporters back him to complete ‘unfinished business’
Meanwhile, supporters of Trump have reiterated his sentiments that he can accomplish more in one term than others could in two.
An advisor close to Trump believes the nation has grown impatient and seems ready for a one-term president committed to completing “unfinished business.”
DeSantis, however, disagrees with this viewpoint. In a retort to Trump’s claim of achieving in six months what DeSantis intends for eight years, DeSantis posed a question: “Then why didn’t he do it his first four years?”
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