Leo Varadkar believes Donald Trump may seek third term
James Cox
Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar thinks it is possible US president Donald Trump will seek a third term.
It comes as Trump last week shared a meme with the words: "3rd term for Trump as a reward from stolen election."
Trump lost the presidential election to Joe Biden in 2020, despite contesting the result, and won in 2016 and 2024.
The United States Constitution prohibits anyone from being elected president more than twice.
Varadkar sais there are many theories about a Trump third term.
He referred to Trump's controversial construction of a new ballroom at the White House.
Varadkar told Newstalk: "You have to ask the question... will he make some attempt to have a third term? I find it a little bit hard to believe that he's building that big ballroom there for Usha and JD [Vance] to have parties in."
"But one of the theories that I've heard from people is that he will actually go, that he won't seek a third term, but he'll try to set him up as the leader down in Mar-a-Lago that everybody still has to go to."
Varadkar also said Republican politicians are afraid of criticising Trump for fear of being punished.
"I'd know a few Republicans in the US who are privately very critical of president Trump, but they'd be afraid to go against him because they would then risk losing their primary... he will punish 'disloyalty'.
"Even though there is a fear there, the point at which that might flip is where people become more afraid of the public than president Trump if some Republicans become afraid of losing their seat altogether rather than the primary."
