# Appropriate punishment for Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 31, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673 "2022-08-31T20:49:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/101 "2022-09-01T14:10:22Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > ram the conviction through the Senate With fewer than 67 Dem Senators? Not a chance. Maybe they can do it with 66 or 65, if Romney will go along again, or if he finds a friend among his colleagues, but they’ll never sniff 60 Dems again in my lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/102 "2022-09-01T14:17:50Z")
Staying within the original request of the op, and explaining how it will also allow some level of appropriate justice as well. Ideally, he’d be convicted and serve jail time to the exact extent the law allows, keeping in mind his proven lack of guilt, repentance and respect for law in the sentencing. Since we live in the real world, let’s say that said sentence ends up being 10 years, of which, out of respect for his former position, age and (likely) health, the majority of which will be served as many indicate, under some form of house arrest. I would however, want said judge to mandate at least a token amount, say 90 days, of the sentence be carried out in an actual jail, long enough to be good optics for the next want-to-be dictator, but not so long as to be especially burdensome. Then, for the last little bit, an informal, but key punishment that satisfies my heart, but is NOT in any way a formal punishment. I want EVERY image of him after 3 months in jail, with no concealing (to the extent it helps him!) makeup, clothes and grooming to be on the internet and mocked for the rest of his life. I want all of his followers to actually see him as the fat, sad, weak and terrible person he actually is behind all the bronzer and puffery. That may well be the ultimate punishment for Trump, losing both his image and his followers. And with both gone, his financial woes are only going to be coming home to roost, because even the international powers that prop up his financial empire tend to support (as does Trump) people with the _appearance_ of winners, and those images will hopefully kill that appearance dead. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/103 "2022-09-01T14:18:09Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > [@Akaj](#): > > > > Please show me where the Constitution states that all presidents must have Secret Service protection for life – or any federal benefits whatsoever. > > It isn’t in the Constitution, but it is written in law. Former presidents are entitled to benefits including a pension and SS protection. AIUI, this could have been rescinded by impeachment, but there is currently no provision in law to rescind it if he is convicted of a crime. Thanks, ignorance fought! But … does the Former Presidents Act _define_ Secret Service protection? Could one agent checking a monitor every couple of hours meet the definition of “protection”? 😈 More seriously … your Wiki link says Nixon voluntarily relinquished his Secret Service protection. Perhaps Trump could be persuaded to do the same in a plea deal in exchange for, say, concurrent vs. consecutive terms. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/104 "2022-09-01T14:32:18Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > That may well be the ultimate punishment for Trump, losing both his image and his followers. And with both gone, his financial woes are only going to be coming home to roost, because even the international powers that prop up his financial empire tend to support (as does Trump) people with the _appearance_ of winners, and those images will hopefully kill that appearance dead. Ah, yes, the “Saddam in the Spider Hole Special”. > **[15 years ago today, US troops captured Saddam Hussein. See the photos of the...](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-us-troops-captured-saddam-hussein-photos-2018-12#photos-showing-a-disheveled-hussein-began-surfacing-after-his-capture-6)** > > The deposed Iraqi dictator, who ruled for 24 years, was captured approximately nine months after the US invasion of Baghdad in 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/105 "2022-09-01T14:41:50Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Nixon voluntarily relinquished his Secret Service protection. Perhaps Trump could be persuaded to do the same Maybe, but I don’t think this should happen. There are a lot of nutcases out there who would try to kill a president for the fame, for the thrill, or to impress an actress. I am opposed to murder on general principles, even if the victim is Donald Trump. Let him have SS protection for life. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/106 "2022-09-01T14:56:03Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > SS protection for life If he’s in home confinement, with an ankle monitor and CC TV watching him at all times, day and night, the SS doesn’t need a lot of manpower. It sounds as if home confinement is the way to go. Maybe I’ll make up a poll to see which combinations of punishments make the most sense to the most respondents. I think we’ve gotten some of the more unacceptable ones weeded out so far in this thread. I am still curious about similar cases of very wealthy people being confined to their homes-- how restricted they were, how often they were allowed visitors, how well they got to eat, watch entertainment, have internet access, etc. Honestly, since the pandemic started, I’ve been on a liberal form of voluntary home confinement and it hasn’t been too bad (though I hope I get released soon–it’s kind of boring). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/107 "2022-09-01T15:08:11Z")
A woman I knew was sentenced to 15 months after she hit a cop with a golf club (long story). Because of overcrowding, she was released to house arrest. It was pretty awful for her. She could leave the house to go to a nearby grocery store twice a week. The store was pretty awful, so she requested to be able to go to a store a mile further and her request was denied. The people monitoring her did everything they could to catch her screwing up. They’d show up unannounced, as was their wont, demanding urine for a drug test. They’d then show up a few hours later for another sample, hoping to catch her. I stopped to visit her one evening after work. We sat and talked awhile. Around midnight I got up to leave, I had an hours drive and had work the next day. She wouldn’t allow me to leave! I finally got out of her house and haven’t been back, having cut off all ties. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/108 "2022-09-01T20:21:39Z")
[This place](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Correctional_Complex,_Butner) looks like a good fit. The likes of Bernie Madoff (the fraud) and Peter Gotti (the gangster) were there. I am sure TFG would do well there. ---
**Author:** ![LilXMo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lilxmo/32/4225_2.png) [@LilXMo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilXMo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/109 "2022-09-01T22:15:09Z")
> this thread will concern appropriate punishment for Trump, if he is found guilty of whatever felonies you think he will be indicted for. Trump will never plead guilty. He can blame any documentation mismanagement on an underling in his organization. The insurrection and subsequent stop the steal campaign is a different story. There appears to be enough evidence to link him to these crimes, enough that he can’t wiggle his way out. He may do a plea deal with no admission of guilt. The deal should include a gag order to discontinue his propaganda, heavy fines and monitoring his communications. Perhaps he’ll be given token jail time but the threat of violence by his supporters will be considered heavily. Even Lindsay Graham is calling for violence. Home confinement, ankle bracelet, restricting rally appearances, and an assessment of his mental status should or could be part of the deal. The J6 council showed where numerous Republicans questioned his mental status. As the traitor theme becomes more prevalent due to plea deals, businesses and other entities will cut ties to him. His biggest fear is being out of the limelight. He’s been in the news so much lately it’s ridiculous. He needs to be cancelled and get him out of the news cycle. Then the GOP can quietly kick him to the side. Just a side note, we must learn from history. Hitler had a failed coup attempt and was sent to jail for 5 years. He only served 1 year, was banned from running for office, etc. his negativity and blaming won the support of many and all those bans and restrictions were lifted. When his party was elected into positions of power, he was able to attain high-level political positions, eventually becoming chancellor and a dictator. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/110 "2022-09-01T23:13:03Z")
I know this can’t be forced on him, but I wish he’d end up with a severe case of hives and major Restless Leg Syndrome. Does this count? ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/111 "2022-09-01T23:27:38Z")
Well, if we’re going that route, I’m voting for disfiguring boils and an impenetrable speech impediment. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/112 "2022-09-02T01:17:10Z")
If we’re really going that route, this column would be a good start > **[What loathsome disease did King Herod die of?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341379/what-loathsome-disease-did-king-herod-die-of)** ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/113 "2022-09-02T13:31:32Z")
What punishment would work and we could still call ourselves a civilized society. And how can we find a jury that 1: will be impartial, 2: will be faithful to their duty when their loved ones are being threatened ([Michael Cohen’s claim that Trump is threatening his family, explained - Vox](https://www.vox.com/2019/1/23/18194719/trump-michael-cohen-father-in-law-threat)) , by team Trump? So how would we even get a conviction? - First looking at barring hime from public office. I once opened a thread if someone in jail can run for president, the opinion seemed to be yes. Barring someone from running for and holding office seems so against democracy that it only comes about through impeachment, as it is the heart of the ‘we the people’ to vote for who we please. So does judicial barring actually work, and wouldn’t Trump just appeal it and win? -Prison, can we ensure Trump’s well being while not venturing into cruel and unusual and also prevent Trump from corrupting the system who is charged with guarding him? - Death, Some issues with the death sentence morally but it’s still on the books. It does risk making Trump a martyr though. - Civil asset forfeiture, remove all his wealth and put him on public assistance as his only source of funds. I have to admit I sort of like that, and it does seem reasonable if we can show that he used his wealth to commit a crime and not allow him to gain wealth beyond that due to son of sam laws (can not profit from one’s own past crime.). With continues secret service protection Trump should do well in a housing project or a halfway house. - Treat him like the children he separated from their parents at the boarder, having him stay under a bridge, fenced in like an animal, given nothing by a mylar plastic emergency blanket to sleep with, no personal hygiene care, and rape gangs staying with him, losing all records of his citizenship. Fitting and probably should happen but that a fantasy solution. Of them all I think civil asset forfeiture would be great for our only traitorous and disgraced ex-president, let him live out his remain days on welfare. ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/114 "2022-09-02T13:49:24Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > civil asset forfeiture would be great OK, but how could you legally prevent MAGAts from voluntarily contributing millions to him every day? Thanks for your serious answers to my OP, btw. I appreciate all the jokes and fantasies as well, but I intended this to be a serious, complicated moral and legal topic, and I’ve learned some things from the responses above. What will work? What will work but create ongoing social discord? What, if anything, to do about a future POTUS pardoning him? What does the Constitution prohibit? What will deter future POTUSes from committing crimes of this sort? What will NOT punishing him (if found guilty) accomplish? and several other serious questions have yet to be explored fully. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/115 "2022-09-02T14:01:41Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Civil asset forfeiture, remove all his wealth and put him on public assistance as his only source of funds. He can just live off the Social Security he’s been paying into all these years. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/116 "2022-09-02T14:07:29Z")
> [@Roger\_That](#): > > OK, but how could you legally prevent MAGAts from voluntarily contributing millions to him every day? Son of sam laws, I was hoping. Unable to benefit from illegal activity, which would include the attempted overthrow of our democracy, so his running for president, and this support funds, would be premeditated commission of the crime to over through the US government. Yes it’s a stretch to get that legally, but it does seem the reality of the situation as even back then he inferred that he was above the law (could shoot someone in a NYC street and nothing would happen to him). This any fundraising for him would be a result of that illegal accusation of power and thus can be taken. > [@Roger\_That](#): > > What, if anything, to do about a future POTUS pardoning him? Trump’s conviction at a state level would do this. Hello NY, get moving on this. > [@Roger\_That](#): > > What will deter future POTUSes from committing crimes of this sort? I think that is what the US is determining right now as we answer do we want a president who is above the law or one that is subject to the law? This is still to be answered and perhaps what Biden means when he says it’s a fight for the soul of our nation. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/117 "2022-09-02T14:08:24Z")
To paraphrase someone upthread, I’ll be happy with a lawfully obtained sentence imposed based on the statutory guidelines for however many counts of whichever crimes Trump is convicted of. Are the charges currently under investigation in Georgia state or federal? > [@Roger\_That](#): > > Don’t think you can deport an American citizen. I just gotta: [![](https://cinemashame.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/moronie-from-sweden.jpg) ](https://cinemashame.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/moronie-from-sweden.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/118 "2022-09-02T14:08:39Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > He can just live off the Social Security he’s been paying into all these years. Sounds good to me, lets see how much he paid in, and remember it’s capped at something around $130,000 per year that is SS taxed, so not all that much, but comfy enough if he actually paid in to be vested. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/119 "2022-09-02T14:11:24Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > …if he actually paid in… His check should be miniscule. Remember, he didn’t pay taxes because was “smot”. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673/120 "2022-09-02T14:22:49Z")
Would he get much SS? Did he receive compensation subject to payroll tax? Damned if I know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-punishment-for-trump/970673.md?page=7)