What is the total time a president can serve in office?

A president can serve a maximum of ten years in office as established by the 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment limits a person to two elected terms, which amounts to eight years. However, if a vice president or another individual assumes the presidency due to succession (for example, if the sitting president dies or resigns), that individual can serve up to two additional years of that term, allowing the total potential time in office to extend up to ten years.

This provision was implemented to prevent any one person from holding excessive power for an extended period, reflecting a response to historical concerns about long-term executive dominance. Other options, such as four years, eight years, and one decade, do not correctly capture the nuanced total potential of ten years stemming from both direct election and succession scenarios.