Gavin Newsom Says Trump Wants To Run For a Third Term, Calls Americans To 'Wake Up': 'You Think He's Joking?'

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said President Donald Trump intends to perpetuate himself in power, calling Americans to "wake up" about the possibility.

In an interview at a summit hosted by Politico in Sacramento, Newsom said Trump "doesn't believe in free, fair elections." "I don't think Donald Trump wants another election," he added.

To back his claim, Newsom cited Trump's project to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom in the White House, which resembles the one in his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida: "Who spends $200 million on a ballroom at their home and then leaves the house?"

Newsom then recalled a private exchange he had with Trump on the matter, saying that during a conversation at the Oval Office in February he pointed to a portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the only U.S. president who served more than two terms.

"I said, 'I know exactly what you mean,'" Newsom said. "And then he went on and on about the third term."

The claim comes as a new poll shows that most Republicans would support Trump running for a third term even though it's unconstitutional.

Published by Semafor, the survey shows 53% of GOP respondents supported the premise, compared to 17% of independents and 6% of Democrats.

Overall, half of respondents said they believe Trump will run in the 2028 elections. Here, almost six in ten Democrats (59%) said this will be the case. Half of independents and 42% of Republicans gave that answer.

Asked whether they supported the possibility, 91% of Democrats and 77% of independents said they didn't. However, just 52% of Republicans agreed.

Trump has gone back and forth on the possibility, but the last statement on the matter was a rejection. Speaking to NBC in May, Trump said he knows can't run in the next presidential election: "It's something that, to the best of my knowledge, you're not allowed to do. I don't know if that's constitutional," he said.

The president went on to make reference to those favoring the possibility, especially considering that the Trump Store, managed by the Trump Organization, was selling "Trump 2028" hats.

"There are many people selling the 2028 hat. But this is not something I'm looking to do. I'm looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody — ideally, a great Republican, a great Republican to carry it forward," Trump said.

"I'll be an eight-year president. I'll be a two-term president. I always thought that was very important," he added.

The comments were a departure from previous comments. In March he told NBC News he was "not joking" about the possibility and noted that people are encouraging him to do so.