The original U.S. Constitution (1787) did not set any limits on how many terms a president could serve. Instead, it only outlined a four-year term with the possibility of reelection. Article II, Section 1, simply stated:
“The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows…”
This meant that, in theory, a president could serve for an unlimited number of terms as long as they kept winning elections. The decision to impose a two-term limit did not come until 1951, with the passage of the 22nd Amendment, following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four-term presidency.
The history of U.S. presidential term limits is closely tied to the precedent set by early presidents and the eventual passage of the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
1. The Two-Term Tradition (1789–1940)
- George Washington, the first U.S. president (1789–1797), voluntarily stepped down after two terms, establishing an informal precedent.
- This tradition was followed by nearly all presidents afterward, with the notable exception of Theodore Roosevelt, who ran for a third (non-consecutive) term in 1912 but lost.
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Four Terms (1932–1945)
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) broke the two-term tradition by winning four consecutive terms (1932, 1936, 1940, 1944).
- His extended presidency was due to the Great Depression and World War II, where voters sought continuity in leadership.
3. The 22nd Amendment (1951)
- After FDR’s death in 1945, Congress moved to formally limit presidential terms.
- In 1947, Congress proposed the 22nd Amendment, which was ratified on February 27, 1951.
- It limits a president to two elected terms or a maximum of 10 years (if they assumed office due to succession and served less than two years before being elected twice).
4. Impact and Attempts to Repeal
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961) was the first president affected by the amendment.
- Several lawmakers have proposed repealing it, but no serious effort has succeeded.
- Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both suggested that term limits restrict voter choice, but no changes were made.
Key Takeaway
The two-term limit became law after FDR’s unprecedented four terms, and since then, no president has served more than eight years in office.
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