Trump Nominee Refuses to Confirm 22nd Amendment Bars Third

Trump’s judicial nominee John George Edward Marck refused to answer Senator Chris Coons’ direct question about what the 22nd Amendment states during a federal court confirmation hearing for the Southern District of Texas on May 4, 2026. The 22nd Amendment explicitly prohibits any person from being elected President more than twice. When Coons asked whether Trump is eligible to run for a third term, Marck claimed he needed to “review the facts” rather than confirming the constitutional bar, and sat silently while another witness answered.

Marck’s evasion violated constitutional duty by dodging a foundational legal question that judges must understand. Former Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger labeled the response “DISQUALIFYING,” and former GOP analyst Tara Setmayer called it “UNEQUIVOCALLY DISQUALIFYING.” The silence from other Trump nominees when asked to confirm the constitutional two-term limit demonstrated coordinated refusal to acknowledge clear constitutional limits on Trump’s power.

Trump has threatened to run for a third term, contradicting the explicit language of the 22nd Amendment. Republicans in Congress have offered only minimal resistance to this threat. Trump has a documented history of surrounding himself with advisers willing to abandon constitutional norms and reshape federal institutions according to his personal agenda.

Author Nick Bryant described Marck’s response as “really chilling” and “like a scene from a dystopian movie.” The nominee’s refusal to answer a basic constitutional question revealed Trump’s intention to pack federal courts with judges unwilling to enforce constitutional limits on executive power. This nomination exemplifies Trump’s systematic dismantling of institutional independence through loyalty-based judicial appointments.

(Source: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-judiciary-2676849914/)