# Donald Trump \[what will it take to force him to resign?\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 23, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578 "2018-12-23T18:59:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CHealy7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@CHealy7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CHealy7)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/1 "2018-12-23T18:59:22Z")
What will it take for the American people to force this man to resign from office? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/2 "2018-12-23T19:05:03Z")
Do you mean, what would he have to do to make his base stop supporting him, or what actions the common folk could take to oust him? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/3 "2018-12-23T19:11:38Z")
Get out the vote. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/4 "2018-12-23T19:29:00Z")
There is no mechanism for the American people to force a President to resign. Impeachment is technically possible, but it won’t happen unless a majority of Republican voters supported it - otherwise Republicans in Congress will have no incentive to vote to impeach. Even after everything that’s happened in the past 2 years, Trump has a ~87% approval rating among Republicans. It would take a **major** change in public opinion for that to drop down below 50%. ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/5 "2018-12-23T19:40:51Z")
> [@CHealy7](#): > > What will it take for the American people to force this man to resign from office? Nothing. Trump is too stubborn to resign, or even listen to the members of his staff who are experts (many are not). Internal criticism just pushes his back against a wall, causing him to reflexively lash out, or even do the opposite to “prove” that they can’t “force” him to do something he doesn’t want to do. There’s no face-saving way for him to step down, either, unless he declares that he’s too old or “done enough” before the next primary season. Most likely he will need to be defeated in an election, and that might not be easy. I hope the Democratic contest is not a coronation, so the best person wins, and this person has to prove they can win by surviving attacks on their character, overcome mistakes in their campaign (nobody is perfect), utilizing tactics appropriately, demonstrating an ability to get out the vote, and appealing to moderates, not just liberals. The exact same thing happened in Toronto with our equivalent leader, Rob Ford (aka the Crack Smoking Mayor). We heard allegations of racism, sexual harassment, poor work ethic and (relatively mild) corruption. He was revealed as a crack smoker and went to rehab (where he didn’t even try; apparently other people at the facility would sell their stories to newspapers). His leadership was so bad that his support plummeted. His support rose to about 33% during the election, but he was always in second place. He would have lost, but then he announced he had cancer and died not too long afterward. Putting his health reasons aside, he would have run until he was humiliated in that election. The same thing (other than the health issue) will likely happen to Trump, except I can’t imagine him only getting 33% support. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/6 "2018-12-23T19:47:20Z")
God, we’re at what? 10 cabinet or near-cabinet positions turning over in less than two years? State - Tillerson to Pompeo Treasury - Mnuchin Defense - Mattis to ??? AG - Sessions to Whitaker to Barr Interior - Zinke to ??? Agriculture - Purdue Commerce - Ross Labor - Puzder to Acosta HHS - Price to Azar HUD - Carson Transportation - Chao Energy - Perry Ed - DeVos VA - Shulkin to Jackson to Wilkie DHS - Kelly to Nielsen USTR - Lighthizer DNI - Coats UN - Haley to Nauert OMB - Mulvaney CIA - Pompeo to Haspel EPA - Pruitt to Wheeler SBA - McMahon God awmighty, that’s something. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/7 "2018-12-23T20:43:53Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > God, we’re at what? 10 cabinet or near-cabinet positions turning over in less than two years? > > State - Tillerson to Pompeo > Treasury - Mnuchin > Defense - Mattis to ??? > AG - Sessions to Whitaker to Barr > Interior - Zinke to ??? > Agriculture - Purdue > Commerce - Ross > Labor - Puzder to Acosta > HHS - Price to Azar > HUD - Carson > Transportation - Chao > Energy - Perry > Ed - DeVos > VA - Shulkin to Jackson to Wilkie > DHS - Kelly to Nielsen > USTR - Lighthizer > DNI - Coats > UN - Haley to Nauert > OMB - Mulvaney > CIA - Pompeo to Haspel > EPA - Pruitt to Wheeler > SBA - McMahon > > God awmighty, that’s something. It gets even worse if you think about the cabinet secretaries who have _not_ resigned. Carson and Perry are so incompetent, just imagining them there seems like a satire from _The Onion_. DeVos seeks to deliberately damage public schools for the benefit of her criminal friends in the fraudulent private school business. It’s a travesty that Wilbur Ross is not already on his way to prison. He’s been using the inside info of Dept. of Commerce to short stocks for personal gain, etc. [Steven Mnuchin has been labeled by some as the most corrupt member of Trump’s cabinet](https://theweek.com/articles/724870/steven-mnuchin-window-into-most-corrupt-white-house-history) — _that_’s a tough bar to hurdle. And don’t forget Jared Kushner who despite his busy schedule as Middle East peace czar, manager of opioid crisis, government reform czar, American Innovation czar, Criminal justice reformer, and special envoy to Mexico, China, Saudi, and the Muslim community, has still managed to take enough time off to raise half a Billion Dollars for his private real estate business. What smart multi-tasking! Remembering to hit up Arab magnates for a personal loan while discussing top matters of state with them. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/8 "2018-12-23T23:24:12Z")
He’ll never resign. 2020, the nation will have to remove him OR he’ll have to not run for re-election. He has a couple “Trumpish” excuses for not running again. (I still firmly believe his ending up President was totally a mistake; he was just doing publicity). 1. Claim they “made America great” and encourage everyone to vote Pence to keep things great. 2. Complain that the whole system is so unfair, he never had a fair shot. I think he can’t help himself and will run again. I think he’ll lose even worse than the first time. In fact, he really should avoid running to avoid the situation. I just don’t think he has “not running” in him. He loves the campaigning. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/9 "2018-12-23T23:26:28Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > ## God, we’re at what? 10 cabinet or near-cabinet positions turning over in less than two years? > > God awmighty, that’s something. You’re a little short. > [@](#): > > In Memoriam 2018 > > ``` > Kristan King Nevins, Second Lady Chief of Staff, January 4 > > Mark Paoletta, Vice President Chief lawyer, January 5 > > Daris Meeks, Vice President domestic policy director, January 5 > > Shannon McGahn, Senior Treasury Official, January 5 > > John D Feeley, Ambassador to Panama, January 12 > > Majority of National Park Council, January 13 > > Carl Higbie, the Chief of External Affairs for CNCS, January 18 > > Omarosa Manigault, ?????, January 19 > > Taylor Weyeneth, White House liaison to the drug office, January 24 > > Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, CDC Head, January 31 > > Robert Porter, White House staff secretary, February 7 > > David Sorenson, White House speech writer, February 9 > > Jim Carroll, Deputy Chief of Staff, February 9 > > Rachel Brand, Associate Attorney General, February 10, 2018 > > George David Banks, Special assistant to the president, February 14 > > Vivieca Wright, VA Chief of Staff, February 16 > > Josh Raffel, White House communications aide, February 27 > > Hope Hicks, Communcations Director, February 28 > > Gary Cohn, Economics Adviser, March 6 > > Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State, March 13 > > John McEntee, Personal Assistant to the President, March 13 > > Steve Goldstein, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, March 13 > > Andrew McCabe, Deputy Director of the FBI Director, March 19 > > John Dowd, Lead Lawyer for Donald Trump, March 22 > > H.R McMaster, National Security Adviser, March 22 > > Joseph diGenova, Attorney for Trump (resigned before working for the president), March 25 > > Victoria Toensing, Attorney for Trump (resigned before working for the president), March 25 > > David Shulkin, VA secretary, March 28 > > D.J. Gribbin, Infrastructure Adviser, April 3 > > Samantha Dravis, EPA Counsel, April 5 > > Michael Anton, National Security Council spokesman, April 8 > > Tom Bossert, Honeland Security Adviser, April 10 > > Ricky Waddell, Deputy national security adviser, April 12 > > James Schwab, spokesperson for ICE, April 13 > > Rob Joyce, National Security Council Member, April 16 > > Thomas Homan, Deputy Ice Director, April 30 > > Ronny Jackson, Personal Doctor to the President, May 1 > > Ty Cobb, Lead Attorney, May 2 > > Dr. Jen Pena, Personal Doctor to the Vice President, May 4 > > Marc Short, the White House legislative director, June 15 > > Joe Hagin, Deputy Chief of Staff, June 19 > > Everett Eissenstat, Member of both National Economic Council and the National Security Council, June 26 > > Maggie Cordish, Adviser to Ivanka Trump on paid family leave, June 29 > > James D. Melville Jr., Ambassador to Estonia, June 29 > > Scott Pruitt, Head of EPA, July 5 > > Jennifer Arangio, A senior director in the NSC, July 13 > > Michael Barry, the senior National Security Council director for intelligence programs, July 17 > > Reagan Hedlund, Policy Director for the First Lady, August 3 > > Darren Bettie, Speech writer, August 19 > > Seth Frotman, Student loan Ombudsman (guy in charge of student loans), August 26 > > Don McGahan, White House Counsel, August 29 (said he would leave in fall) > > Stefan Passantino, White House ethics lawyer, August 30 > > Retired Navy SEAL Adm. William McRaven, Defense Innovation Board, September 15 > > Arthur Elkins, Inspector General EPA, September 18 > > Nikki Haley, Ambassador to the UN, October 8 > > Mary Kendal, Acting Inspector General at the Department of the Interior, October 17 > > Suzanne Israel Tufts, an assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development, October 19 > > Jeff Sessions, Attorney General, November 7 > > Mira Ricardel, Deputy National Security Adviser, November 14 > > Jordan Karem, Trump's "body man" and director of Oval Office Operations, November 26 > > Joe Dunford, Head of the Joint Chiefs, December 7 > > John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, December 8 > > Nick Ayers, Vice President Chief of Staff (was speculated to be taking White House Chief of Staff job) December 9 > > Ryan Zinke, Head of the Department of the Interior, December 15 > > Jim Mattis, Defense Secretary, December 20 > > ``` > > In Memoriam for 2017: > > ``` > Michael Flynn, Feb, 14, 2017 > > Michael Dubke, May 30, 2017 > > Walter Shaub, July 29, 2017 > > Sean Spicer, July 21, 2017 > > Marc Kasowitz, July 21, 2017 > > Michael Short, July 25, 2017 > > Reince Prebius, July 28, 2017 > > the MOOCH, July 31, 2017 > > Steve Bannon, August 18, 2017 > > Carl Icahn, August 18, 2017 > > Andy Hemming, August 24, 2017 > > Sebastian Gorka, August 25, 2017 > > Keith Scheiller, September 1, 2017 > > Chuck Rosenberg, Sept 26, 2017 > > Tom Price, September 29, 2017 > > Dina Powel, Dec 8, 2017 > > Paul Winfree, Dec 10, 2017 > > Jeremy Katz, Dec 21, 2017 > > Rick Dearborn, Dec 22, 2017 > > ``` > > Casualties of Trump: > > ``` > Sally Yates, Jan 30, 2017 > > Preet Bharara, March 12, 2017 > > James Comey, May 9, 2017 > > USA Respect and Authority: decreasing every day > > ``` > > Advisory Councils > > ``` > the Arts Council > > the digital economy > > the job Council > > infrastructure council > > Climate Council > > HIV/AIDS Council > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/10 "2018-12-23T23:42:18Z")
Heh, you forgot Brett McGurk (after Mattis). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/11 "2018-12-24T00:29:36Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Heh, you forgot Brett McGurk (after Mattis). He only hire the _BEST_ people… ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett\_s\_Bazongas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@Scarlett\_s\_Bazongas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett_s_Bazongas)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/12 "2018-12-24T00:53:30Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Do you mean, what would he have to do to make his base stop supporting him, or what actions the common folk could take to oust him? The common folk and his base are the same group of people. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/13 "2018-12-24T02:03:22Z")
> [@Scarlett\_s\_Bazongas](#): > > The common folk and his base are the same group of people. What a crock of shit. His base is a subhuman subset of the common folk. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/14 "2018-12-24T05:22:21Z")
Merry Christmas! … or as Trump-owned businesses and hotels would say, “Happy Holidays!” [Trump’s ‘Merry Christmas’ pledge fails to manifest at his own businesses](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/23/trump-war-on-christmas-happy-holidays-businesses) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/15 "2018-12-24T06:04:01Z")
> [@Scarlett\_s\_Bazongas](#): > > The common folk and his base are the same group of people. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > What a crock of shit. His base is a subhuman subset of the common folk. Yes–that’s probably the biggest bullshit claim that Trump tries to make. Most common folk are not moron-suckers or white nationalists. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/16 "2018-12-24T08:11:14Z")
> [@CHealy7](#): > > What will it take for the American people to force this man to resign from office? Resign? Impossible. Resigning implies he did something wrong and he will never do that for any reason. I also see a second term run almost as an inevitability, even if, or especially if, he is impeached in the house (not gonna happen in the Senate, nope). Best you you can do is vote and hope enough people in the right key areas vote the way you did. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/17 "2018-12-24T15:31:07Z")
> [@CHealy7](#): > > What will it take for the American people to force this man to resign from office? 270 electoral college votes in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/18 "2018-12-24T16:29:25Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > You’re a little short. Not to mention, those “losses” are coming from a reduced population, as he has failed to fill a great many positions! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/19 "2018-12-24T19:34:09Z")
Maybe a blow job from Putin? Then he’ll brag about it. “And he said it doesn’t look like a mushroom!” (They’ll send a lookalike in for Putin, but the Yam will be fooled.) ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578/20 "2018-12-24T20:07:50Z")
His historically low poll numbers were probably somewhat boosted by the perception that the Trump economy was strong. The markets today are basically saying that they’re starting to lose faith in Trump to do anything right. The markets should be eating up unemployment at 50 year lows and wage increases; instead they’re wondering what this moron will do next. I’ve consistently said that presidents don’t get impeached or otherwise forced to resign just for high crimes and misdemeanors alone; they’re forced from power when the country’s in a bad mood. Pretty soon, the country’s gonna be a really, really bad mood. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-what-will-it-take-to-force-him-to-resign/826578.md?page=2)