Sen. Ruben Gallego: “If Trump Tries to Run for a Third Term, He Should Be ARRESTED”
Washington, D.C. — In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on October 26–27, 2025, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego said that if President Donald Trump tried to run for a third term despite congressional limits, it would be a violation of the Constitution and he “should be arrested” if he did.
Gallego made it clear to the host that he does not take the talk of a third term seriously — because, he says, the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution bars a president from being re-elected for more than two terms, and if someone tries to “overstep or ignore the rules,” the justice system will intervene. He argued that if Trump filed and attempted to continue to hold power despite those rules, there would be serious legal consequences.
In a widely replayed interview clip, Gallego responded to a question about how serious the president’s “third term” talk was. “I don’t take it seriously… because he would be violating the Constitution and should be arrested if he tried to do that,” he said. The remarks quickly went viral on social media and a
Notably, Gallego’s statement comes amid a broader debate about the legality and constitutional barriers to the idea of a sitting or former president seeking to hold power beyond the two-term limit. Legal experts have repeatedly said that changing the 22nd Amendment would require a difficult constitutional amendment process — a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, or a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures.
Gallego’s strong statement has generated mixed reactions: supporters applaud his “tough” stance to defend constitutional norms, while opponents say the talk of “capturing” a president is divisive and inflammatory. Several social media sites and accounts have spread the information quickly, sometimes with shortened narratives or sensational headlines. Gallego’s spokesperson released excerpts of the interview and encouraged viewers to watch the entire clip to understand the context
On the legal side, many scholars point out that if there is a dispute about a candidate’s eligibility, it is ultimately up to the courts—likely the Supreme Court—to rule on whether an individual is eligible to run for office. Gallego Emphasizes Faith in America’s Legal Institutions to Address Such Constitutional Violations
Senator Ruben Gallego’s remarks are a clear political warning: any attempt to circumvent constitutional presidential term limits will not only be a political argument, but could lead to legal action. Viewers are advised to watch the full interview on Meet the Press for full context before sharing quotes on social media.
