What Would Happen if Trump Refused to Leave Office?

[KeepTalking]

Why persecute Melania???

I find it highly unlikely that their marriage will last much longer than his presidency.

 

[Gun Nut]

Why persecute Melania???

I find it highly unlikely that their marriage will last much longer than his presidency.

She will divorce, publish a book, and pose nude for Hustler magazine.... then leave the country and be set for life in a quiet corner of the world somewhere.

 

[SLD]

I know we have talked about this in other threads, but I thought it was time for a focused re-visit given the overt signs emerging lately...
Some here are very dismissive of the chances that Trump would ever do such a thing as to refuse to leave office

HERE is a pretty good take IMO.

It's a chilling thought that in America "the key to the peaceful transfer of power is the conduct of the outgoing leader", but I'm afraid that is indeed the case. And with Trump we have a guy with no character and nothing to lose by attempting insurrection - he knows he's in for disgrace and probable jail time if he becomes a private citizen. So why not put everyone else's lives on the line and at worst, go out in a blaze of glory?

I am reassured by only one thing: In three years, Trump has never even had the guts to fire anyone face to face. He will try to get others to walk over the line for him, but he is not a leader, he is just a boss. Normally that doesn't mean putting his own ass on the line by leading the way in a forcible takeover. So he might come down with a last minute case of bone spurs. Other than that, I think overthrowing the government is exactly what he would like to do. Or rather, what he'd like someone else to do for him. Apparently a lot of respected ex-military personnel think so too; there's a lot of preventative messaging coming from that quarter.

The presidential term ends on Jan 20, 2021, regardless of whether there are elections. So does the VP term. That would leave the Speaker of the House as POTUS. Most likely scenario, that would be Nancy Pelosi. Perhaps, Grassley, if the Dems decide on new leadership.

How do you think that would go?

And of course, the Secret Service and those marines who are always so close at hand would be there to ensure a peaceful transition out of the White House.

Based on the military that I know, they would not miss Trump's sorry ass one little bit.

I think a lot of people are being naive in relying on the military and the bureaucracy to ensure a peaceful transition of power. You don’t need the military to stage a coup. You just need the courts. And Trump along with McConnell has been stacking the deck in his favor over the last four years. The courts can give an imprimatur of legitimacy to whatever Trump wants to do, and the military and bureaucracy will fall in line.

Expect numerous legal challenges to votes in key swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. And Trump appointed judges making decisions on these, and SCOTUS just punting. If no winner is declared, Pelosi doesn’t become President, it goes to the House, where each state has one vote. Wyoming has the same vote as California. The next Congress is key. Right now Trump wins in that scenario likely, but the Pennsylvania delegation is tied at 9 a piece. It may come down to some tight race in Pa.

My fear though is that Trump will try other ways to screw with the results that no one has thought of yet.

 

[Elixir]

My fear though is that Trump will try other ways to screw with the results that no one has thought of yet.

Trump doesn't think, he just reacts.
Stephen Miller, however... pure evil, and isn't dumb as a rock. What Trump knows is that his ass is grass if he can't stay in the WH. His life depends on it, so he WILL try anything and everything.

 

[Jarhyn]

I know we have talked about this in other threads, but I thought it was time for a focused re-visit given the overt signs emerging lately...
Some here are very dismissive of the chances that Trump would ever do such a thing as to refuse to leave office

HERE is a pretty good take IMO.

It's a chilling thought that in America "the key to the peaceful transfer of power is the conduct of the outgoing leader", but I'm afraid that is indeed the case. And with Trump we have a guy with no character and nothing to lose by attempting insurrection - he knows he's in for disgrace and probable jail time if he becomes a private citizen. So why not put everyone else's lives on the line and at worst, go out in a blaze of glory?

I am reassured by only one thing: In three years, Trump has never even had the guts to fire anyone face to face. He will try to get others to walk over the line for him, but he is not a leader, he is just a boss. Normally that doesn't mean putting his own ass on the line by leading the way in a forcible takeover. So he might come down with a last minute case of bone spurs. Other than that, I think overthrowing the government is exactly what he would like to do. Or rather, what he'd like someone else to do for him. Apparently a lot of respected ex-military personnel think so too; there's a lot of preventative messaging coming from that quarter.

The presidential term ends on Jan 20, 2021, regardless of whether there are elections. So does the VP term. That would leave the Speaker of the House as POTUS. Most likely scenario, that would be Nancy Pelosi. Perhaps, Grassley, if the Dems decide on new leadership.

How do you think that would go?

And of course, the Secret Service and those marines who are always so close at hand would be there to ensure a peaceful transition out of the White House.

Based on the military that I know, they would not miss Trump's sorry ass one little bit.

I think a lot of people are being naive in relying on the military and the bureaucracy to ensure a peaceful transition of power. You don’t need the military to stage a coup. You just need the courts. And Trump along with McConnell has been stacking the deck in his favor over the last four years. The courts can give an imprimatur of legitimacy to whatever Trump wants to do, and the military and bureaucracy will fall in line.

Expect numerous legal challenges to votes in key swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. And Trump appointed judges making decisions on these, and SCOTUS just punting. If no winner is declared, Pelosi doesn’t become President, it goes to the House, where each state has one vote. Wyoming has the same vote as California. The next Congress is key. Right now Trump wins in that scenario likely, but the Pennsylvania delegation is tied at 9 a piece. It may come down to some tight race in Pa.

My fear though is that Trump will try other ways to screw with the results that no one has thought of yet.

Well, you might be encouraged to hear that even by the opinion of the founder of the federalist society, Trump should be impeached again.

Think about that. The founder of the federalist society, the society which all those judges belong to, is saying he needs to go.

 

[SLD]

I think a lot of people are being naive in relying on the military and the bureaucracy to ensure a peaceful transition of power. You don’t need the military to stage a coup. You just need the courts. And Trump along with McConnell has been stacking the deck in his favor over the last four years. The courts can give an imprimatur of legitimacy to whatever Trump wants to do, and the military and bureaucracy will fall in line.

Expect numerous legal challenges to votes in key swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. And Trump appointed judges making decisions on these, and SCOTUS just punting. If no winner is declared, Pelosi doesn’t become President, it goes to the House, where each state has one vote. Wyoming has the same vote as California. The next Congress is key. Right now Trump wins in that scenario likely, but the Pennsylvania delegation is tied at 9 a piece. It may come down to some tight race in Pa.

My fear though is that Trump will try other ways to screw with the results that no one has thought of yet.

Well, you might be encouraged to hear that even by the opinion of the founder of the federalist society, Trump should be impeached again.

Think about that. The founder of the federalist society, the society which all those judges belong to, is saying he needs to go.

He didn’t appoint those judges. Trump did.

 

[Jarhyn]

I think a lot of people are being naive in relying on the military and the bureaucracy to ensure a peaceful transition of power. You don’t need the military to stage a coup. You just need the courts. And Trump along with McConnell has been stacking the deck in his favor over the last four years. The courts can give an imprimatur of legitimacy to whatever Trump wants to do, and the military and bureaucracy will fall in line.

Expect numerous legal challenges to votes in key swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. And Trump appointed judges making decisions on these, and SCOTUS just punting. If no winner is declared, Pelosi doesn’t become President, it goes to the House, where each state has one vote. Wyoming has the same vote as California. The next Congress is key. Right now Trump wins in that scenario likely, but the Pennsylvania delegation is tied at 9 a piece. It may come down to some tight race in Pa.

My fear though is that Trump will try other ways to screw with the results that no one has thought of yet.

Well, you might be encouraged to hear that even by the opinion of the founder of the federalist society, Trump should be impeached again.

Think about that. The founder of the federalist society, the society which all those judges belong to, is saying he needs to go.

He didn’t appoint those judges. Trump did.

That's not really true though. Trump is a rubber stamp when it comes to the federalist society. He was just given a list and told "appoint these people". And he did. They owe him no loyalty. The only people they owe are the ones who actually got them on said list. Trump can't do shit to them now that they are confirmed.

 

[Gun Nut]

I think a lot of people are being naive in relying on the military and the bureaucracy to ensure a peaceful transition of power. You don’t need the military to stage a coup. You just need the courts. And Trump along with McConnell has been stacking the deck in his favor over the last four years. The courts can give an imprimatur of legitimacy to whatever Trump wants to do, and the military and bureaucracy will fall in line.

Expect numerous legal challenges to votes in key swing states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. And Trump appointed judges making decisions on these, and SCOTUS just punting. If no winner is declared, Pelosi doesn’t become President, it goes to the House, where each state has one vote. Wyoming has the same vote as California. The next Congress is key. Right now Trump wins in that scenario likely, but the Pennsylvania delegation is tied at 9 a piece. It may come down to some tight race in Pa.

My fear though is that Trump will try other ways to screw with the results that no one has thought of yet.

Well, you might be encouraged to hear that even by the opinion of the founder of the federalist society, Trump should be impeached again.

Think about that. The founder of the federalist society, the society which all those judges belong to, is saying he needs to go.

Yes, he should be impeached again... and if he steals the election and stays in office one way or the other, and a blue tidal wave smashes over congress, then he will be impeached again, but this time removed from office and quite possibly indicted.

 

[jab]

Remember how Trump fired Comey, by tweet, when he was out of town? And got upset that they let the guy travel home on a govt. jet?

Trump goes to Mar A Lago, or wherever, Air Force 1 flies off without him. Or the Beast drives off. Marine 1 flies off....

He flees to one of his Russian resort properties.

 

[jab]

My money's on his resigning if he loses the election, then Pence pardoning him.

But Pence can't pardon him for violating states' laws.

 

[jab]

We are currently on the road to one of the most chaotic elections this country has seen. Note the words "one of" meaning I am not saying it is the ultimate in that category just near the top. There is indeed a chance that there will be no clear winner or a fairly clear but disputed winner in either direction.

But if it is clear that Trump lost, he will leave office. I am not made of fear the way you are.

Clear to whom? To Trump? It doesn't seem to me that it has ever been clear to him that he has ever lost anything major.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Remember, Trump is running for God, too. The idiot was in my state yesterday, saying in that tedious drone of his that Biden will "Hurt God, hurt the Bible." Honestly, is there a dumber comment ever made by any presidential candidate, ever????

 

[Jarhyn]

Remember, Trump is running for God, too. The idiot was in my state yesterday, saying in that tedious drone of his that Biden will "Hurt God, hurt the Bible." Honestly, is there a dumber comment ever made by any presidential candidate, ever????

More like running for antichrist.

The guy did a photoshoot of him manhandling a Bible upside down and backwards in front of a church he had defiled, as his base of conservative "Christian" sychophants continue to worship him, someone who has quite handily earned the nickname The Liar.

Stupid Antichrist. Short Bus Hitler.

 

[SLD]

My money's on his resigning if he loses the election, then Pence pardoning him.

But Pence can't pardon him for violating states' laws.

Yeah, but he can live at Mar a Lago, and DeSantis won’t extradite him.

 

[Elixir]

My money's on his resigning if he loses the election, then Pence pardoning him.

But Pence can't pardon him for violating states' laws.

Yeah, but he can live at Mar a Lago, and DeSantis won’t extradite him.

Trump has too many co-conspirators. Once having outlived his usefulness he will probably get Epsteined at first opportunity.
Polonium tracks, anyone?

 

[ideologyhunter]

I think he will never leave the scene until he's so far into clinical dementia that he needs someone to open his Whopper wrapper. If he's "gone" in January, just imagine the torrent of crude tweets he will bestow on the nation. Of course, the readership would be down to the droolers, but Fat Orange will not go away. Ask any movie star you know. Fame is better than heroin.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I think he will never leave the scene until he's so far into clinical dementia that he needs someone to open his Whopper wrapper. If he's "gone" in January, just imagine the torrent of crude tweets he will bestow on the nation. Of course, the readership would be down to the droolers, but Fat Orange will not go away. Ask any movie star you know. Fame is better than heroin.

What torrent? He's permitted on Twitter because he's president, otherwise he would have gotten banned long ago. I don't expect him to be there for more than hours after he's out of office.

 

[Gun Nut]

I think he will never leave the scene until he's so far into clinical dementia that he needs someone to open his Whopper wrapper. If he's "gone" in January, just imagine the torrent of crude tweets he will bestow on the nation. Of course, the readership would be down to the droolers, but Fat Orange will not go away. Ask any movie star you know. Fame is better than heroin.

Twitter would just ban his account on the first technical violation in attempt to recover and move on from being the spreader of pure unadulterated evil for the past years.

 

[Elixir]

What makes this prediction right the seventh time it is made?

The fact that Donald Trump is never going to admit that he lost the election, regardless of the vote count.

Would you like to reiterate your argument at this juncture, Jason? I've noticed that you and every other "I'm not a Trumpsucker" on this forum has fallen silent on the subject recently. Isn't there some new libberpublican party line on it that you can offer us?

 

[ideologyhunter]

Consider the likely variables:
Counting going on in multiple states on Nov. 4, 5, 6...(who knows how many snarled-up counts there will be, how undermanned the boards of election might be, not to mention the DeJoy Express situation)
Trump declares on Tues. that he is clearly ahead (Red Mirage) and continues to bellow that the only way "they" can take away his victory is by rigging the election.
Trump and Barr selectively sue various counties where they claim to have detected anomalies...they find judges who will issue orders to cease "illegal" counts...
By the weekend, there are still key states that have not declared a winner...
Katherine Harris clones in red states with close numbers declare for Trump...
None of this is implausible.
What Trump is saying right now, 7 weeks ahead of election day, is perfectly destabilizing and irresponsible. He's gaslighting the republic. And when has Barr shown a shred of integrity about Trump's predations? (When he steps out on his own, as in his recent speech likening Covid shutdowns to slavery, he's Trump's equal in nuttiness.)
As for what claims they make in court to invalidate a state's count, let your imagination run free: they'll claim that a given board of elections is unfairly overstaffed with Dems...they'll claim that a state made insufficient i.d. checks on mail-in applications...they'll dispute when ballots were received...just imagine if any state comes in as close as Florida in 2000. And most of all, remember what the GOP did in 2000.