# If both Trump and Biden claim to be the commander in chief? Who will the military obey? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 7, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550 "2020-07-07T00:04:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/61 "2020-07-10T01:27:07Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > If Congress couldn’t certify a result, then it falls to the presidential line of succession after Vice President ( **which is** Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi). (my bold) But will not necessarily be Pelosi on 21 January. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/62 "2020-07-10T01:55:40Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Then there’s Judge Dredd, Judge Reinhold, Judge Roy Bean, and my sister.” Don’t forget about Mike Judge and Aaron Judge… ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/63 "2020-07-10T02:50:49Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > [Trump has a plan to stay in the White House if he loses election, former senator says | The Independent | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-2020-us-election-third-term-tim-wirth-white-house-a9600486.html) > > Basically, the plan is to suppress votes enough to keep the defeat close, then use claims of election rigging as an excuse for Republican governments in states won by Biden to not send delegates to the electoral college. That’s one plan. But if and when CNN projects Biden the winner, the plan will be tested against public opinion. If public opinion among GOP voters says to respect the projected results, no problem. But if GOP public opinion says its OK for the legislature to send a list of Trump electors to Washington, even though Biden won the state, they’ll probably do that. The only reason for the middle ground of not sending any electoral college list in is that their voter base will allow them to go that far in perfidy, but no more. Presidential republic president with dictatorial instincts can be unpredictable, as can their supporters. That’s why no one knows quite how this could play. I think Val Demings, as the veep nominee, would make the Florida legislature a bit more likely to behave nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/64 "2020-07-10T20:09:31Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > But will not necessarily be Pelosi on 21 January. If it isn’t this discussion will be moot. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/65 "2020-07-10T22:23:56Z")
Not necessarily. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2020, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/66 "2020-07-24T14:35:14Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > If it isn’t this discussion will be moot. It isn’t. The Speaker of the House would be president in that situation. That part of the discussion is valuable. We just do not know who will be Speaker after the new Congress is sworn in. ---
**Author:** ![kswiss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@kswiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kswiss)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/67 "2020-07-25T20:54:29Z")
> [@XT](#): > > The military will obey whoever is the rightful elected president. If Biden wins, that’s him. If Trump wins, that’s him. Seems simple enough, really. Why would you think otherwise? I, too, have faith in Americans. Including those in the military. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/68 "2020-08-29T02:46:49Z")
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says the U.S. military will not pick sides in case of a disputed election result: [Mark Milley: Top US general tells Congress the military won't play a role in the 2020 election | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/28/politics/milley-2020-election/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/69 "2020-08-30T22:01:56Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > An appeal… before _ **WHO?** _ Pretty sure you would have to go on The Judge Judy show. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550/70 "2020-08-30T22:10:58Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > > [@JRDelirious](#): > > > > An appeal… before _ **WHO?** _ > > Pretty sure you would have to go on The Judge Judy show. - Jestapo Judy, you mean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-both-trump-and-biden-claim-to-be-the-commander-in-chief-who-will-the-military-obey/914550.md?page=3)