Donald Trump aide and current cohost of The View, Alyssa Farah Griffin, is raising eyebrows after her ex-boss hinted at the idea of serving a third term as president — something the U.S. Constitution clearly forbids.
The conversation heated up after Steve Bannon told The Economist that Trump is “going to get a third term” and that “there’s a plan” to make it happen. That comment set off serious concern on The View, where Whoopi Goldberg opened the discussion by saying, “Republicans have pretty much given him free rein up until now. Are they going to let this happen? Are y’all going to let it happen?”
Griffin, who once served as Trump’s communications director, said she wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to “challenge [the amendment] through the courts” by arguing that a third term would be legal if it wasn’t consecutive. She added that many judges might not stand in his way because “they’re in power only because Trump put them there,” calling the situation “possible” and “concerning.”
“I know Donald Trump well enough to believe this isn’t a guy who’s going to be a lame duck after the midterms,” she said. “He’s not going to let the center of gravity shift to JD Vance or Marco Rubio while he fades into the distance.”
Legal expert and cohost Sunny Hostin reminded viewers that “we put this into the Constitution for a reason,” but admitted she’s uneasy because the 22nd Amendment “hasn’t been tested.” She pointed out that conservatives have already pushed boundaries before, citing the overturning of Roe v. Wade and nationwide deportation raids that once seemed impossible.
“ He’s done everything that people thought he would never do,” Hostin said, referencing Trump’s rumored plan to build a ballroom atop the former East Wing of the White House. “He’s hooking up the White House because he doesn’t plan on leaving it”, reported the Express.
Goldberg chimed in, saying, “I told y’all that years ago. He said it — he said I want to be president for life. I heard him say it, and I watched his lips move. I thought he meant this.”
Republican panelist Ana Navarro added that Trump’s age could soon be an issue, noting, “He would be 82 in 2028. We’ve all seen the swollen ankles, we’ve all seen the bruises on his hands. This is a man who’s showing his age.” She accused him of having “authoritarian envy,” comparing him to Vladimir Putin and Hugo Chávez. “He wants the parades, he wants the arches, he wants the ballrooms, he wants to be emperor,” she said. “Do not fall asleep on this.”
Sara Haines said she believes the courts would block any attempt at a third term and pointed out that “80 percent of Americans oppose this.” But Goldberg wasn’t convinced. “He doesn’t care what we think,” she said. “If he wants to do it and there’s no opposition, he’s going to do it. There needs to be opposition.”
The segment ended with Goldberg looking straight into the camera and saying, “You’re not going to know until we know. And that’s always the bitch.”
When Entertainment Weekly reached out for comment, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly responded, “Who cares?”
Griffin, who resigned from the Trump administration in 2020, later testified before the Jan. 6 committee about his state of mind after losing the 2020 election. “He said, ‘Can you believe I lost to this effing guy?’” she recalled. “In that moment, I think he knew he lost. But I really do think he believes it was stolen.”