When Trump loses 2020 and refuses to accept the results…

[MsDaisy]

There are a lot of people who believe that he absolutely will attempt to invalidate the election, and his behavior since taking office IMHO gives every indication that he certainly will. Something republicans publicly feared Obama would do, but of course the threat of that actually happening is much more real with Trump. He knows for a fact that if he loses in 2020, he, his ginormous comb over, as well as his spawn face the threat of real prison time, both state and federal. I think he will stop at nothing to dodge that.

So what happens if he does try to overturn the election and on what grounds could he possible try to do it?

[RoadScholar]

Well, first a million of us storm the Capitol in a massive demonstration.

For starters.

[p0rtia]

I'm in.

[MsDaisy]

I'm in.

Me too! Also.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

I'm in.

Me too! Also.

Me also, too!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

I keep seeing people express that fear, but it seems incredibly unrealistic to me. There are too many people who take their oaths of office seriously (all LE and military take an oath of office) to allow it to get much past the bluster stage. The elections are all done by the states, not the feds, so what exactly do you think he could do? He can't make the states change their elections and I doubt he'll hunker down in the Oval Office with an AR-15 to fend off the Secret Service, FBI, Capitol Police and Army.

Asking seriously, how do you realistically think he could refuse to cede the office?

[Jeffrey]

I’m with sugar. It was stupid when people said it about Bush and Obama, it’s stupid to say it now about Trump. It’s trashy alarmism.

[Chilidog]

I expect him to bloviate on Twitter in the hopes of rousing his "followers," but that would be the extent of it

[ZekeB]

Trump's head will explode after he loses the election. Trust me. He'll go off the rails and either catch a dose of the 25th or be impeached if he makes too much noise.

[RoadScholar]

Yeah, but Trump is the only president one could imagine actually trying it. Claiming the Democrats cheated, and he actually won. Calling on Bikers for Trump to surround the White House.

It wouldn’t work, but he might try.

[Dan1100]

I keep seeing people express that fear, but it seems incredibly unrealistic to me. There are too many people who take their oaths of office seriously (all LE and military take an oath of office) to allow it to get much past the bluster stage. The elections are all done by the states, not the feds, so what exactly do you think he could do? He can't make the states change their elections and I doubt he'll hunker down in the Oval Office with an AR-15 to fend off the Secret Service, FBI, Capitol Police and Army.

Asking seriously, how do you realistically think he could refuse to cede the office?

It won't happen, but the idea of the U.S. Marshals physically pushing his ass out the gate and stacking his stuff out on the street, like the Sheriff does for a bad eviction, has a lot of appeal.

Seriously though, I think the danger is he will encourage some lone wolf, wack-job domestic terrorists, who won't be a danger to the government, but might get some people killed.

[Sam the Centipede]

Assuming (hoping, praying, yearning) that Trump loses the 2020 election, his behavior between the election and his termination will be appalling, I'm sure.

Of course if he loses he'll claim he was cheated, demand a rerun, etc., but (like Sugar) I don't believe anything will come of it.

But he will either enter a huge sulk or actively try to trash the joint for his successor. His people won't cooperate in the transition process, but that won't be an issue because they're all useless, ignorant and incompetent.

[optimusprime]

His refusal and subsequent angry tweets and/or actions would amount to a coup. He and his followers trying to surround the White House would amount to treason. Once the new president is sworn in, his refusal to leave the White House would amount to federal trespassing.

I think #45 would just spite the office so much that he will arrange to have the trump helicopter pick him up at the capitol and the trump airplane to fly him to Mar-a-lago, where he can tweet in "peace"

[SuzieC]

I think he will leave all the WH toilets unflushed and filled with Trump Dumps.

[Patagoniagirl]

I think if/when? he loses 2020, we will see a serious uptick in domestic violence. I think he will leave but not before he fires up his base in retaliation.

[MsDaisy]

I keep seeing people express that fear, but it seems incredibly unrealistic to me. There are too many people who take their oaths of office seriously (all LE and military take an oath of office) to allow it to get much past the bluster stage. The elections are all done by the states, not the feds, so what exactly do you think he could do? He can't make the states change their elections and I doubt he'll hunker down in the Oval Office with an AR-15 to fend off the Secret Service, FBI, Capitol Police and Army.

Asking seriously, how do you realistically think he could refuse to cede the office?

“Realistically” I don’t think he would have any basis to oppose the results of the election, but I don't think for a minute that would actually stop him from trying to fight it. I think he’ll call upon all his RWNJ militia groups to oppose the election anyway and every way they possibly can, and I have no doubt he’d do everything he can think of to block it. Who knows what would happen, but I seriously doubt he will leave office without a fight knowing that he and his Trump crime family "could" potentially face federal and state criminal charges and even possible jail time once he's out of office.

[voxpopuluxe]

I keep seeing people express that fear, but it seems incredibly unrealistic to me.

I mean, who the hell knows? But he’s spent the last two & a half years smashing every norm in American politics, so forgive me if, like Inspector Wilkins, I’m not sanguine. Not at all.

Honestly,what’s gonna happen if he just says “the elections are fake news. I’m not leaving.” Our current opposition can’t bring itself to file articles of impeachment. Think they’re gonna use force to pry him out of the WH?

So I dunno what would happen, but it won’t be good.

[ZekeB]

It won't happen, but the idea of the U.S. Marshals physically pushing his ass out the gate and stacking his stuff out on the street, like the Sheriff does for a bad eviction, has a lot of appeal.

I hope they do that with his shitty gold furnishings anyway.

[pipistrelle]

To me the key question is "WWMD?"

What would McConnell do?

[RVInit]

I expect him to bloviate on Twitter in the hopes of rousing his "followers," but that would be the extent of it

These are my thoughts on the matter as well. Sorry, Jeffrey, it is NOT trashy to say that Trump wants to be president for life. He has SAID as much, on several occasions. He is trying to get a groundswell of demand for such a thing, that is why he keeps bringing it up. He's hoping the people will demand it. He's hoping he can get a sizable portion of the population to demand that he stay in office beyond what is legally allowed. I don't expect him to stop, and it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't ramp it up. Also, he will rant endlessly that he actually won the election if he loses.

Does that mean I think it can happen? No. Does that mean I think he will physically try to remain in the White House? No. Does that mean I don't realize that the rest of government, state, local, and federal will just ignore his rantings and that there is no danger whatsoever of him ACTUALLY remaining on office? No. But there is no fucken way that pustule is going to stop making the suggestion that he be allowed to serve for life. And, the next president will have to deal with his constant meddling and tweeting about government matters in a way no other previous president ever has done.

[Jeffrey]

Never said it was trashy to say Trump wants to be President for life or that like firing Mueller he won't push for it but to say he'll "stop at nothing" to invalidate the election is a little too close to saying he'll declare martial law and move dissidents into FEMA death camps. You gotta pump the brakes at that point or the next thing is questioning the legitimacy of Trumps birth certificate.

[Chilidog]

And, the next president will have to deal with his constant meddling and tweeting about government matters in a way no other previous president ever has done.

Ooh, good point.

[Slim Cognito]

And, the next president will have to deal with his constant meddling and tweeting about government matters in a way no other previous president ever has done.

Ooh, good point.

Maybe, by then, his dementia will have advanced to a state where they can give him a toddler toy cell phone and let him tweet to his heart's content. (We have one attached to our parrot's cage and she pushes the buttons and talks to it all the time.)

[Foggy]

He might be a tiny bit sullen at the inauguration ceremony for his successor.





Why yes, it is Understatement Day.

[RTH10260]

► Show Spoiler

I expect him to bloviate on Twitter in the hopes of rousing his "followers," but that would be the extent of it

These are my thoughts on the matter as well. Sorry, Jeffrey, it is NOT trashy to say that Trump wants to be president for life. He has SAID as much, on several occasions. He is trying to get a groundswell of demand for such a thing, that is why he keeps bringing it up. He's hoping the people will demand it. He's hoping he can get a sizable portion of the population to demand that he stay in office beyond what is legally allowed. I don't expect him to stop, and it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't ramp it up. Also, he will rant endlessly that he actually won the election if he loses.

Does that mean I think it can happen? No. Does that mean I think he will physically try to remain in the White House? No. Does that mean I don't realize that the rest of government, state, local, and federal will just ignore his rantings and that there is no danger whatsoever of him ACTUALLY remaining on office? No. But there is no fucken way that pustule is going to stop making the suggestion that he be allowed to serve for life. And, the next president will have to deal with his constant meddling and tweeting about government matters in a way no other previous president ever has done.

I would think that Twitter will curb some of the former presidents messages. He will be a "regular" user and not have the "official voice of the government" tag attached any longer. As a fromer president he will ony have the Deplorables following and replying him. His opinions will be followed by a rapidly dropping audience.