# Does Trump really want to win? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [September 19, 2024, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453 "2024-09-19T03:00:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/61 "2024-09-22T21:00:39Z")
> [@SpicyDuckBillyHunt](#): > > I think he wants to play golf for the next four years and complain about losing. > He is doing barely enough to make it seem like he is trying to win the Election. He wants to pardon himself, and then use the power of the Office to threaten or arrest anyone one else who might be suing him or indicting him. His legal troubles are why he is running. And in fact he has already got special treatment due to the fact his is a valid candidate. > [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > He does, however, not want to die in jail. Unlikely, unless you mean his health is that bad. Which- it might be. > [@SenorBeef](#): > > However he does want to win this time around because it’s his best chance of staying out of jail. He’s also motivated by wanting to do a revenge tour and hurt everyone who opposes him. Yep. But he is also deluded by sycophants and yes-men. > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I suspect most “undecided” voters are actually Trump voters who are too embarrassed to admit it, and appealing to their bigotry is likely to be effective. Naw. They are voted who have been swayed by Kremlin propaganda that both sides are equally bad, so why bother to vote? And by progressives who think that somehow the best way to punish Biden for not ending the war in gaza (I guess by sending in the marines and taking over?) is by voting in the guy who is perfectly fine with killing all the Palestinians. > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > He has cases pending against him that will go forward if he’s not elected. Pending sentencing for a case he already lost too. Winning means he won’t face any consequences. I am not sure about that. He still will be sentenced in the NY case, win or lose. > [@DWMarch](#): > > Trump says 2024 is his last run so if he loses, no campaign for 2028 I do not think trump will be alive or in any health to run in 2028. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/62 "2024-09-23T02:02:55Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > > > He does, however, not want to die in jail. > > Unlikely, unless you mean his health is that bad. Which- it might be. I figure, at this point it’s a coin flip - either he wins the election, or he loses. If he loses, it’s another coin flip. Either it will all come crashing down on him, or he’ll manage to stall long enough to die in bed. If they do manage to convict him on any of the more serious charges that are hanging fire right now, he’ll be in for a while. He’s unlikely to survive a 5 to 10 year sentence. So, about one chance in four he dies in jail. He really does want to avoid that. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/63 "2024-09-23T02:37:06Z")
It is about one chance in thirty, because he has shown us opinion of the law. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/64 "2024-09-23T02:49:17Z")
If he loses the election, his opinion of the law doesn’t matter. John Robert’s does. He may have made himself so toxic, that the right wing may decide to cut their loses. Since I can’t really evauate the likelihood, I’ll give it even odds. Either it’ll happen or it won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/65 "2024-09-23T02:52:39Z")
If Trump wants to run away, there are enough supporters to pretty much guarantee it will happen. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/66 "2024-09-23T02:59:56Z")
If Trump doesn’t win, do you really think he’ll flee the country? Where would he go, who would have him? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/67 "2024-09-23T03:02:26Z")
If Trump doesn’t win \*and \*there is a clear indication that he will be going to prison p, he _will_ try to run. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/68 "2024-09-23T03:06:58Z")
The word try is significant here. I think it unlikely he would succeed. I look forward to finding out. Trump dieing in unhappy exile would be almost as good as dieing in jail. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/69 "2024-09-23T03:08:38Z")
Run? To where? There can’t be many countries that have a Trump property and no extradition treaty with the US. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/70 "2024-09-23T03:38:00Z")
And we don’t know what information Trump kept to himself that can be used against others, and we don’t know what countries would gladly take him in just to screw us over. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/71 "2024-09-23T03:44:21Z")
Yeah, Russia. But even trump isn’t that stupid. And, yet… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/72 "2024-09-23T03:50:10Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Run? To where? Even Russia has hamberders. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/73 "2024-09-23T03:52:53Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Run? To where? There can’t be many countries that have a Trump property and no extradition treaty with the US. And they took his passport away, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/74 "2024-09-23T03:53:52Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Even Russia has hamberders. No Trump hotel and no McDonald’s. Trump might prefer jail. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/75 "2024-09-23T04:01:16Z")
I don’t think you understand what “forced into exile by a corrupt regime” actually means. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/76 "2024-09-23T04:02:30Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > No Trump hotel and no McDonald’s. The Russian have re-opened some McDs. Not as true McDonalds of course. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/77 "2024-09-23T08:26:43Z")
I suppose he could flee to some place like Russia, although they might take him hostage. “If our demands are not met, we will return Donald Trump to the US.” > [@RickJay](#): > > Even Russia has hamberders. Eh, they tried making their own version of McDonalds after the sanctions and failed because all the burgers were _literally_ rotten meat. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/78 "2024-09-23T09:50:13Z")
Trump doesn’t care if he wins or loses. If he wins, he gets to crow about it, and his legal woes are over. Well, at the federal level anyway; state charges are still on the table. He probably doesn’t know that. If he loses, he’ll claim foul, and launch any number of lawsuits, involving any number of vote-counters in any number of states. Either way, winning or losing allows him to put his face in front of the cameras, and get a lot of publicity. Which is what he craves. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/79 "2024-09-23T20:26:09Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > If he wins, he gets to crow about it, and his legal woes are over. Well, at the federal level anyway; state charges are still on the table. He probably doesn’t know that. He does know that, but he has stated he will use his powers to have anyone who indicts him or starts a trial vs him will be arrested. ---
**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 23, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453/80 "2024-09-23T20:46:15Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Trump says 2024 is his last run so if he loses, no campaign for 2028. I don’t know if I believe this but perhaps Trump knows something about his health that he’s not ready to admit yet. Except he said that the first two times around. > **[Trump tells supporters 'you'll never see me again' if he loses to Biden](https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-says-youll-never-see-me-again-loses-to-biden-2020-9)** > > Trump made similar remarks in 2016, saying, "I don't think I'm going to lose, but if I do, I don't think you're ever going to see me again." He’ll never shut up voluntarily. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-trump-really-want-to-win/1007453.md?page=5)