‘I Will Give’: Trump Floats Illegal Third Term as Top Donor Dangles $250 Million at White House Party

President Donald Trump joked on Tuesday that donor Miriam Adelson has offered him “another $250 million” if he decides to seek a third term in the White House. The remark came at a White House Hanukkah reception where laughter mixed with surprise.

Miriam Adelson, an Israeli American philanthropist and longtime Trump backer, told the room she had just spoken with former Jeffrey Epstein lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who talked “about four more years.” “I said, ‘Alan, I agree with you.’ So, we can do it! Think about it!” she urged, as part of a spirited exchange reported by several outlets. The crowd then broke into a very half hearted chant of “Four more years!”

After a brief private whisper into Mr. Trump’s ear, the president announced to guests, “She said, ‘Think about it, I’ll give you another $250 million.’” Ms. Adelson then confirmed into the mic, “I will give.” The moment was playful but pointed, and it quickly drew attention because the United States Constitution bars a president from seeking a third consecutive term.

Mr. Trump used the moment to praise the late Sheldon Adelson and to tell a long memory about his visits. He said, in full, “But her husband Sheldon was an amazing guy, and he’d come up to the office, and there was nobody more aggressive than Sheldon. He’d call and say, ‘Can I come over please?’ I’d say, ‘Sheldon, I’m president of the United States, it doesn’t work that way anymore. Like, maybe tomorrow? How about tomorrow?’ ‘No, no, no, please, just for a little while.’ And he’d always say 10 minutes, it turned out to be about an hour and a half, and what he did is he fought for Israel. That’s all he really fought for. Just wanted to take care. He just wanted to take care of Israel, so he was a great guy. He was a fantastic man.” The line drew both applause and eye rolls.

Miriam Adelson and her late husband were among Mr. Trump’s largest backers in past campaigns. Mrs. Adelson donated heavily to the 2024 effort, giving more than one hundred million dollars, a fact that helps explain why her remarks at the event made headlines. She also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Mr. Trump in 2018.

Critics noted the constitutional problem at once. The 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two terms. Legal experts say the kind of workaround some have joked about would face steep hurdles and likely court fights. Still, talk of an extra term keeps surfacing in public and in private, sometimes as a joke and sometimes as a test of how far political theater can push legal reality.

Beyond the money and the joke, reporters pointed to policy strings. Haaretz and other outlets have reported that Adelson has pushed for a U.S. move to recognize Israeli sovereignty over West Bank territory. That stance has drawn fierce debate and has shaped her influence on U.S. policy under Mr. Trump. Observers said the offer and the whisper at the podium were a reminder that large donations often come with clear policy hopes.

Featured image via YouTube screengrab