The 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1951, fundamentally altered the landscape of presidential power by establishing term limits. This amendment dictates that no individual can be elected to the office of President more than twice, addressing concerns that arose after a president served more than two terms. It also includes stipulations regarding succession, ensuring that those who serve as president for more than two years of another’s term are limited to a single subsequent election. The official text of this pivotal amendment reads:
No person shall be elected to the office of the 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. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.
The concept of limiting the tenure of elected officials was a topic of debate even during the nation’s founding. Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no president; Congress held both legislative and executive powers. When the idea of a single executive leader emerged, the Founding Fathers had varying opinions on election methods and term lengths. Figures like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison initially proposed a president nominated by Congress to serve for life. This sparked fears of an “elective monarchy.” While other term proposals were debated, the eventual decision was to have presidents elected by the Electoral College with no explicit term limits. George Washington, the first US President, voluntarily stepping down after two terms set an unofficial precedent that lasted for over 150 years. This two-term tradition became an ingrained norm in American political culture. However, the unprecedented events of the 20th century brought the question of presidential term limits back into sharp focus, particularly regarding presidents who served three terms or more.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency marked a turning point in this historical context. Elected in 1932 amidst the Great Depression, Roosevelt initially adhered to the two-term tradition. However, as the world edged closer to World War II, he decided to run for an unprecedented third term in 1940. The global crisis and the looming threat of war resonated with the American public, who valued Roosevelt’s experienced leadership during turbulent times. Despite the historical norm, Roosevelt won the 1940 election and subsequently a fourth term in 1944, leading the nation through World War II until his death in April 1945.
Roosevelt’s nearly thirteen years in office, spanning the Great Depression and World War II, raised concerns in Congress about the potential for executive overreach. His use of executive power to enact New Deal programs and his role as Commander-in-Chief during a global war demonstrated the vast power a president could accumulate over extended periods. While these actions were viewed by many as necessary responses to extraordinary circumstances, the prospect of such concentrated power in peacetime became a subject of debate.
In 1947, just two years after Roosevelt’s death and Harry S. Truman’s ascension to the presidency, the House of Representatives proposed Joint Resolution 27. This resolution called for a constitutional amendment limiting presidents to two four-year terms. Following Senate revisions, the proposal was approved and sent to the states for ratification on March 21, 1947. The amendment, officially becoming the Twenty-second Amendment, was ratified in 1951 after nearly four years of state-level deliberation. Since its ratification, every US president has adhered to the two-term limit.
Despite its established place in the Constitution, the 22nd Amendment has faced ongoing debate and attempts at modification or repeal from politicians across the political spectrum. Arguments for repeal often cite the need for consistent leadership during crises and the idea of allowing experienced presidents to serve longer, potentially non-consecutive terms, especially with increased life expectancies. The Twenty-second Amendment remains a subject of discussion, reflecting enduring questions about the balance of power and the nature of the presidential office itself, all stemming from the historical precedent of presidents who served three terms and the unique case of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
