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The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, also known as Amendment XXII, limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President to two terms. It was ratified in 1951 after almost four years of deliberation and was enacted as a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt serving an unprecedented four terms as president. The amendment has faced mixed reactions, with some arguing for its repeal to allow for consistent leadership in times of crisis, while others have attempted to modify it to allow for a third term, citing decisive leadership as a reason.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendment number | Twenty-second Amendment (Amendment XXII) |
| Date proposed | 1947 |
| Date ratified | February 27, 1951 |
| Number of terms allowed | Two |
| Eligibility after two terms | Can be elected or appointed Vice President |
| Number of states that ratified | 36 of 48 |
| Time taken for ratification | Almost four years |
| Attempts to modify or repeal | Several |
| Notable proponents of repeal | President Trump and Congressman Ogles |
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What You'll Learn
The Twenty-second Amendment
Since the Twenty-second Amendment's ratification, all subsequent presidents have served for no longer than two elected terms. However, the amendment has received a split reception, and several attempts have been made to modify or outright repeal it. For example, in 2025, Congressman Ogles proposed amending the amendment to allow President Trump to serve a third term, citing his "decisive leadership" and loyalty to the American people.
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Presidential term limits
The concept of presidential term limits has been debated since the drafting of the Constitution in 1787. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison supported lifetime tenure for presidents, while others, like Virginia's George Mason, opposed this idea as it would be tantamount to an "elective monarchy".
The Twenty-second Amendment was proposed by the House of Representatives in 1947, two years after Roosevelt's death, and approved by Congress on March 21, 1947. It was then sent to the states for ratification. The amendment was ratified on February 27, 1951, after almost four years of deliberation, when 36 out of 48 states had ratified it.
Since the ratification of the Twenty-second Amendment, all subsequent presidents have served no longer than two elected terms. However, there have been attempts to modify or repeal the amendment, including a recent proposal by Congressman Ogles to allow President Trump to serve a third term.
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Reactions to Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first and only president of the United States to serve four terms. He was elected to an unprecedented fourth term on November 7, 1944, and died in office on April 12, 1945, eleven weeks into his fourth term.
Reactions to Roosevelt's Four Terms
During his time in office, Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms were met with a range of reactions, both positive and negative.
On the one hand, Roosevelt's leadership during his first two terms, which focused on combating the Great Depression, and his subsequent shift to America's involvement in World War II during his third and fourth terms, were instrumental in redefining liberalism for future generations. His direct appeals to the public, legislative leadership, and executive reorganization significantly altered the role and responsibilities of the president. Roosevelt's New Deal Coalition, for instance, transformed national politics, ushering in the Fifth Party System. Additionally, his administration saw important developments on the domestic front, including economic growth, a decrease in unemployment, and the establishment of the Manhattan Project. Roosevelt also made significant strides in promoting gender equality, with numerous women appointed to high-ranking positions within his administration.
However, Roosevelt's decision to run for a third and fourth term was not without controversy. His breaking of the two-term precedent set by George Washington led to a fallout within his Democratic Party, causing some key supporters and advisors to leave his campaign. Republican challenger Thomas Dewey, for instance, stated that "four terms, or sixteen years, is the most dangerous threat to our freedom ever proposed," and actively supported the passage of an amendment limiting presidents to two terms. Roosevelt's declining health during his final term was also a cause for concern, with some scholars arguing that his illness led to critical foreign-policy mistakes and a failure to adequately prepare his vice president, Harry S. Truman, to take over.
Ultimately, the popular reaction to Roosevelt's four terms resulted in the ratification of the 22nd Amendment in 1951, which limited future presidents to two terms.
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Presidential eligibility after two terms
The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which came into force in 1951, limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to two terms. This amendment was a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election to an unprecedented four terms as president. Roosevelt was the only president to exceed eight years in office, and his decision to seek a third and fourth term dominated the respective election campaigns.
The Twenty-second Amendment outlines that no person shall be elected to the office of President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of President more than once. However, this amendment does not prevent a two-term President from succeeding to the office after having been elected or appointed Vice President.
Since the ratification of the Twenty-second Amendment, there have been several attempts by presidents and Congress members to modify or repeal it. For example, in 2025, Congressman Ogles proposed an amendment to the Constitution to allow President Trump to serve a third term.
The question of having term limits on elected officials has been a topic of debate since the Constitution's ratification. While some of the Framers, such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, envisioned a president who would be nominated by Congress to serve for life, others feared this would turn the United States into an "elective monarchy". The Twenty-second Amendment has resurrected these debates on the nature of the office of the president.
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Proposed amendments to the Twenty-second Amendment
The Twenty-second Amendment (Amendment XXII) to the United States Constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President to two terms. It also sets additional eligibility conditions for presidents who succeed their predecessors before the end of their terms.
The Amendment was approved by Congress on March 21, 1947, and submitted to the state legislatures for ratification. The Amendment was ratified on February 27, 1951, when 36 of the 48 states had ratified it (neither Alaska nor Hawaii had yet been admitted as a state).
The Twenty-second Amendment was enacted due to fears that the two-term presidential convention could not be restored, combined with Republican and conservative Democrats' concerns about executive tyranny sparked by Franklin D. Roosevelt's strong presidency. Roosevelt was elected president four times from 1932 to 1944, and his four terms in office served as a catalyst for the Amendment's enactment.
The Amendment has experienced a split reception in the decades since its creation, with several attempts made by presidents and Congress members of various political affiliations to modify or outright repeal it. Arguments in favour of repealing the Amendment include having consistent leadership in response to a crisis and allowing non-consecutive terms.
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Frequently asked questions
The Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President of the United States to two terms.
The Twenty-second Amendment was created as a reaction to Franklin D. Roosevelt being elected to an unprecedented four terms as president.
The 22nd Amendment can be changed, as there have been several attempts by presidents and Congress members to modify or repeal it. For example, in 2025, Congressman Ogles proposed an amendment to the Constitution to allow President Trump to serve three terms.
