Trump is ‘uniquely positioned to avoid’ fate of most two term presidents, Washington Post editorial explains

The Washington Post editorial board presented the different options that they believe President Donald Trump may pursue to ensure that he doesn't end up a lame duck.

The Post noted on Friday that while most presidents "stumble" in their second term, and eventually end up becoming lame duck presidents, Trump is "uniquely positioned to avoid this fate."

"He is the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve nonconsecutive terms, giving him a fresh start with a new team, a pliant Congress — and an unpopular predecessor to blame for the country’s problems," the editorial observed. "His continuing influence over the Republican Party’s base and showman’s command of the bully pulpit might allow him to exert unusual influence over the nation’s direction, even if Democrats flip control of the House for his final two years in office."

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After signing his "One Big Beautiful Bill" on Independence Day, avoiding an all-out war with Iran, racking up wins in the Supreme Court and the cost of his tariffs not biting yet, the editorial board asserted that Trump is on "the longest hot streak of his second term."

The Washington Post conceded that Trump is an "unusually powerful" second-term president and laid out the different options that he may take to maintain power through the end of his presidency and beyond. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The outlet also noted the president's ability to "enforce party discipline" and keep Republicans behind him citing Sen. Thom Tillis', R-N.C., decision to take an early retirement after opposing Trump's tax bill as evidence.

"Trump could also dominate the 2028 conversation," the editorial speculated. "He might be a kingmaker in the GOP primaries, and he’s in no rush to anoint an heir. Asked whether JD Vance is his successor, he responded by praising the vice president and Secretary of State Marco Rubio."

According to the Post, another option that Trump could explore — but likely will not — is running for a third term. Something that his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, has been enthusiastically touting since Trump took the White House for the second time.

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"The 22nd Amendment says a president cannot be elected more than twice. One idea, untested in court, is for Trump to run for vice president and then have his running mate resign if his ticket wins. But the 12th Amendment states that no person ineligible to be president can become vice president," the outlet explained.

Many politicos speculate that either Marco Rubio or JD Vance will fill the power vacuum following Trump's departure from the White House. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

"Another idea is for Trump to be elected speaker of the House. (Technically, the chamber’s leader does not need to be an elected official.) But Republicans could easily lose the House, and it’s hard to see leaders such as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) stepping aside. It is even harder to imagine that, after the 2028 vote, a newly elected GOP president and vice president would both resign to make way for Speaker Trump to reenter the White House."

As reported by the Post editorial, Bannon told a reporter from the Financial Times last week that "Trump’s not leaving," and that "he’s going to be in your head for a long time."

"Though there is no plausible scenario in which Trump could remain president beyond Jan. 20, 2029, Bannon might still have a point," the outlet conceded. "Some of the factors that could make Trump an unusually powerful second-term president might enable him to exert political power even after he leaves the Oval Office."

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These factors which enable Trump to be such an unusually powerful second-term president have also led him to "act with less restraint" than in the past, according to the Post editorial. 

The Post warned that Trump's "erratic" tariff policy could blow up in his face as he approaches other potential economic headwinds. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The outlet argued that the president's tax cuts promise to add trillions to the debt, his "erratic" tariff policy risks ballooning inflation and economic uncertainty and that his "war" on illegal immigrants could bring about even more economic pain.

"The president has proved to be one of the most resilient American politicians ever to hold office, and the future might be better or worse than these predictions suggest. But, as Trump rolls out a new, massive tariff seemingly every hour, the bigger he goes, the higher the risk to the nation’s fortunes," the editorial concluded.

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