US Constitution and the Potential of Donald Trump as Next Speaker of the House

The position of the presiding officer in the House of Representatives of the United States of America is held by the Speaker of the House.

[{"selector":"#anim-8171dd9b-5d99-41e6-95e3-87ec679f281c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.82848%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2151c03-e432-4f5e-8666-46823d0f6a96","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f921050-1bda-4534-93b5-656cd0913cee","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The position of Speaker of the House is one of the top three candidates for the presidency and is chosen by the members of the House.

[{"selector":"#anim-0526ac69-a644-4bcb-a35c-784ba1657058","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.82848%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b81c59e6-3506-46fd-8e34-31def9898772","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f752c20-76c1-4672-80dc-7c090dfbed9c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Although the Constitution does not stipulate that a member of the House must serve as Speaker, doing so has been customary for a very long time.

[{"selector":"#anim-5159a39b-0f3a-474c-bafa-1cf245d4f320","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.82848%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74332c0d-8ea1-40e3-8e18-2a5e0721f156","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9a85041e-98e8-49a6-aa4c-bdcd2ebdcd83","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Like Share Save

Donald Trump has been quoted as saying that he would be interested in running for the position of Speaker of the House.

[{"selector":"#anim-e7fbcac6-7d40-4cca-af38-cd5c5b102cbb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.50485%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd624205-f589-49e2-ac36-b77becfd6d87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-60508687-0055-488a-ae11-e3a5142af9fc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Trump would have to win a seat in the House of Representatives before he could even consider running for the position of Speaker.

[{"selector":"#anim-8d1dd90f-c613-4c39-8089-aa8d73b6cf62","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.50485%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18aa81f8-173b-4e29-8842-e4e8e606e65f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4aa56959-4438-42ff-806d-e0a7a391c94e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The Constitution requires that members of the House be at least 25 years old, a US citizen for at least 7 years, and a resident of the state they represent.

[{"selector":"#anim-b59c417e-7356-4f36-b548-a1fa0fea7830","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.82848%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab25b71f-636d-48ad-9fec-077b8b495ab9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74a81f86-c931-42b8-8781-3ea5e4d2f863","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Trump satisfies these conditions, however it is not obvious whether or not he would be successful in winning a seat in the House.

[{"selector":"#anim-6c7415b4-3cb7-45d7-825e-e8bff7f7da05","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.50485%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-940e16d1-1cb4-449d-9db3-7657d9e5f85b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77c03904-87df-48be-88ba-59f688008503","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Even if Trump were to win a House seat and become Speaker, it is unclear how effective he would be in the role given his controversial political history.

[{"selector":"#anim-82d71cae-7058-42e6-853e-2f203290807e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.50485%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5cb8e29-b8f1-4874-aedd-a132f1512c00","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23c2f2e8-6786-4f1b-af57-521ecf81d8d4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]