Mary Trump: “Donald Thinks He Can Stay in Office Forever”

Mary Trump, the niece of President Donald Trump, has once again voiced concerns about the threat she believes her uncle poses to American democracy.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, she suggested that Trump may not willingly give up power if he secures a second term.

“It’s not about whether or not he’ll run,” she said. “It’s about whether or not he’ll leave.”

Mary Trump, a psychologist and longtime critic of her uncle, suggested that his ambitions could extend far beyond a constitutionally limited two-term presidency.

She speculated that he might try to defy established norms altogether.

“It’s more likely that he’ll just say, ‘I’m president for life and I’m not going anywhere,’” she told the outlet.

Trump Talks “Loopholes” Around Term Limits

Although the U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment clearly limits presidents to two terms, Donald Trump has recently alluded to the possibility of extending his presidency, referencing so-called “loopholes.”

According to Newsner, earlier this year, he hinted at these during an interview, saying: “I’d rather not discuss that now… but as you know, there are some loopholes that have been discussed that are well known.”

He later added, “I don’t believe in loopholes. I don’t believe in using loopholes,” further muddying the waters around his actual intentions.

“We Don’t Know, Because We’ve Never Had This Problem”

Mary Trump’s warning centers on what she describes as a serious institutional vulnerability.

“What enforcement mechanism is there to drag the guy who just lost the election but is in the Oval Office?” she asked. “How do you get rid of him?”

Her concerns come amid a broader conversation about democratic backsliding and the fragility of norms around peaceful transfers of power—an issue thrown into sharp relief by the events of January 6, 2021, and Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 election.

In the interview, she pointed to her uncle as a product of long-term political decay: “Donald is not an anomaly,” she said. “He is the result of 40 years of Republican degradation.”

Since returning to office in 2025, Donald Trump has moved quickly to implement major policy changes, particularly on immigration and federal governance.

These rapid shifts have fueled concern among his critics that he could be consolidating power to make an extended stay in office more plausible.

Mary Trump believes that safeguarding democracy will require more than just awareness.

She argues that Americans must become more active in defending institutions and resisting authoritarian tendencies.

“We are living in uniquely dangerous times,” she warned.