# If the protests continue, what might Trump be provoked into doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 11, 2016, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547 "2016-11-11T22:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [November 12, 2016, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/21 "2016-11-12T00:29:38Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > No, but I would like the protestors to know why it is they’re having to protest. **If the U.S. hadn’t turned into such a country of pissy crybabies** , needing safe spaces and whinging over micro-aggressions and insulting/hating everyone with a different opinion, they’d likely not be confronted with a Trump presidency now. But it has, and like the graphic said, a lot of people in this country are fed up with that shit. From the Crybaby-In-Chief: > [@](#): > > Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting.\*\* Very unfair!\*\* ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/22 "2016-11-12T00:36:21Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > But it has, and like the graphic said, a lot of people in this country are fed up with that shit. Well, tough crap for you. Electing Trump isn’t going to stop the freedom to protest whatever the hell they like and it’s not going to alter the number of crybabies either. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/23 "2016-11-12T00:39:48Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > People are free to protest whatever they want. In this case, it seems they are letting people know that they do not like the fact that Mr. Trump won the election. Liberals on November 7: “Trump and his supporters are nothing mor than sore losers if they won’t accept the results of the election!” Liberals on November 9: “We can protest whatever we want. It’s American!” Liberals never seem to hold any position for long. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/24 "2016-11-12T00:44:08Z")
As a conservative I am so glad to see all the protesters. I feel bad about all the people being assaulted or having their businesses vandalized but I think this will be good for the Trump presidency. Trump is first and foremost a narcissist. The thing he care most about is how people feel about him. He was a Democrat until a couple of years ago and has no real policy convictions. My great fear is that as soon as he is sworn in he will go back to being a Democrat in order to curry favor with the news media because he cares so much about what people think of him. Yet as we saw in the debates, he hates being criticized and will always try to defend himself no matter the consequences. Having thousands of people march in the street will give him a hatred of progressives that will keep him from backsliding. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/25 "2016-11-12T00:52:48Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Liberals on November 7: “Trump and his supporters are nothing mor than sore losers if they won’t accept the results of the election!” > > Liberals on November 9: “We can protest whatever we want. It’s American!” > > Liberals never seem to hold any position for long. > [@](#): > > Donald J. Trump – ‏@realDonaldTrump > We can’t let this happen. We should march on Washington and stop this travesty. Our nation is totally divided! > 8:29 PM - 6 Nov 2012 > ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/26 "2016-11-12T01:36:28Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Well, tough crap for you. Electing Trump isn’t going to stop the freedom to protest whatever the hell they like and it’s not going to alter the number of crybabies either. It won’t alter the number of current crybabies, but hopefully with Congress in the hands of the Republicans and with the presidency in the hands of someone who’ll actually take the bull by the horns and make 'em take action, we can begin to put an end to the liberal indoctrination taking place in our schools beginning at the elementary level which in large part has led to all this crybabyism. And perhaps with Trump as figurehead we can begin much needed pushback against political correctness, which has become little more than a self-perceived foolproof way to bully people and which even has liberals turning on each other these days. And perhaps we can reawaken admiration and striving for upward mobility and success rather than dismissing them as the undeserved products of privilege while simultaneously lauding downward mobility and bestowing superiority and nobility on people simply because they’re a victim of some sort. One only has to take a look at the sort of people lauding the Democratic candidate for the presidency these days to see how dysfunctional this country has become. When low life scuzzbugs like Jay-Z and Miley Cyrus and Lena Dunham are the ones singing your praises, and you’re openly doing everything you can to enable votes from convicted criminals and people who’ve entered the country illegally, it’s more than obvious that the train left the track long ago. I didn’t vote for Trump and actually wrestled with myself to a surprising degree as to whether or not to vote for Clinton (ultimately I couldn’t pull the trigger and left that part of the ballot blank), but the primary reason I didn’t vote for Trump was because of things I didn’t like about him personally rather than the overall message of his candidacy. It’s my hope that now that he’ll be in office along with a Republican congress, we can finally begin to get the country back on track and put a stop to all the nonsense that’s grown up over 50 years of ever-increasing liberal influence. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/27 "2016-11-12T01:49:07Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > It won’t alter the number of current crybabies, but hopefully with Congress in the hands of the Republicans and with the presidency in the hands of someone who’ll actually take the bull by the horns and make 'em take action, we can begin to put an end to the liberal indoctrination taking place in our schools beginning at the elementary level which in large part has led to all this crybabyism. So you want the federal government to seize control of public school curriculums? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/28 "2016-11-12T01:57:04Z")
Perhaps you’ve missed it, but the federal government has effectively seized control of public school curriculums already. This is why we have teachers berating and sometimes even hitting students for conservative statements, and why we have students graduating from high school who can neither read nor write. And of course it’s why those who manage to become quasi-educated and enter college find themselves in need safe spaces and protection from micro-aggressions. Conservatives are clearly not the reason for any of this idiocy. ---
**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:** [November 12, 2016, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/29 "2016-11-12T03:49:27Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Perhaps you’ve missed it, but the federal government has effectively seized control of public school curriculums already. This is why we have teachers berating and sometimes even hitting students for conservative statements, and why we have students graduating from high school who can neither read nor write. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/30 "2016-11-12T04:32:14Z")
My goodness, how people love to fight the hypothetical! Obviously it’s extraordinarily unlikely that Trump would do any of these things, but I’m perfectly willing to speculate on the legalities that might be in play if he did. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > He might want to try to stop all coverage of the protests on television, radio, newspapers, and their sites; and–here’s the tricky one–all major social media sites. > > He might want to try to get protests made illegal; this would probably involve convincing governors of each state in which protests are happening to declare states of emergency or something similar, with curfews imposed, restrictions on numbers of persons who can gather in public, and so on. > > He might want to try to get protesting made too painful to be continued, by prevailing on law enforcement leaders to step up arrests and head-breaking. > > For all of these, he can remind decision makers that he will shortly have access to the trove of data stored by the NSA. With this being public knowledge he will be able to make any accusation against persons declining to help him out as requested–it won’t matter whether or not the accusations are true. He will be able to say ‘we will release information that you are a \_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and say it’s verified in NSA data, and your career will be over–there will be nothing you can do to fight the accusation.’ > > This seems clearly illegal–if documented, of course. If Trump had his people approach someone who recorded the threat, it could mean trouble for Trump. In general, what you’ve described is the crime of _extortion._ Extortion happens when a person obtains anything of value from another, with his nominal consent induced by the wrongful use of coercion. This is clearly illegal. > [@](#): > > So he might prefer the ‘carrot’ to the ‘stick’–he might want to promise infusions of cash to come to the decision maker as an individual, and/or to the agency/government/website/entertainment conglomerate he’s having his people approach. This could be worded delicately, as in ‘we know you are a patriot and want to do the right thing for our nation, and surely you agree that people are becoming agitated by all this–why not simply stop showing it? (Or stop posting Tweets or Instagram pics about it, etc.) And we are hoping to do big business with you, by the way–there is a $5 billion-dollar contract we might be able to swing your way’ or such. Similarly with government and law enforcement leaders: ‘it’s bad for the USA, so why not stop it? And by the way, there may be a big federal grant coming your way if we can swing it for you…’ This is a closer question. Trump is presumably wealthy in his own right. If he approaches, say, Les Moonves and says, “Les, old pal, speaking purely as a private citizen, if you can keep CBS from showing these protests, there’s a $100K personal check from me payable to you in my desk,” that seems, at first blush, completely legal. Of course, in today’s Internet world where everyone’s a publisher, this tactic doesn’t seem like it would scale well. The moment he offered some inducement from official funds, however, the picture changes. I’d have to research the issue to speak confidently on the point, though. The government is certainly allowed to spend money to promulgate its preferred message; no one thinks the Trump administration cannot buy ad time, for example, exhorting people to stay in school, to eat vegetables, or even to marry Russian models. But those funds have to be appropriated – the President does not have a slush fund. Bottom line is: at this time, it’s an interesting question that would benefit from someone who knows this area of the law. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/31 "2016-11-12T04:33:47Z")
THis is a ridiculous question. If people protest, Trump can ignore them. Bush did. If they get violent, local authorities will use force. And Trump will cackle. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/32 "2016-11-12T04:50:41Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > What are these idiot protesters protesting anyway? Trump was elected fairly and squarely according to our electoral process. I don’t like it any more than anyone else who didn’t vote for him, but that’s the rules. One could ask them, rather than assume. When interviewed, some very well spoken young protesters explained that they wanted an apology for his racist rhetoric considering that he is president of the US. Seems quite reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/33 "2016-11-12T13:20:48Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > The protests seem likely to continue over the weekend. Trump won’t like it. He will want to do something about it. > > Will he? Why would Mr Trump want to do anything? The current protests play well for him. He will position them as a bunch of undisciplined and whiny losers. He can even act Presidential and accept their right to protest since all the damage and inconvenience will be occurring on someone else’s watch. Mr Trump is not President for a couple more months. The current protests are a problem for current local and State governments. To some extent they are Mr Obama’s problem also. If they get out of control and begin creating too much damage, those are the entities who can “do something about it.” Mr Trump’s wisest recourse will be to let the current protests burn themselves out on someone else’s watch… More protests will be planned in January, but there will also be more time to prepare responses. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/34 "2016-11-12T13:33:14Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Perhaps you’ve missed it, but the federal government has effectively seized control of public school curriculums already. This is why we have teachers berating and **sometimes even hitting students for conservative statements** You need to provide a cite for this. ---
**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:** [November 12, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/35 "2016-11-12T13:48:24Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > It won’t alter the number of current crybabies, but hopefully with Congress in the hands of the Republicans and with the presidency in the hands of someone who’ll actually take the bull by the horns and make 'em take action, we can begin to put an end to the liberal indoctrination taking place in our schools beginning at the elementary level which in large part has led to all this crybabyism. Crybabies? Crybabyism? How old are you? I thought you were a big boy.😕 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/36 "2016-11-12T14:01:31Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > This is a closer question. Trump is presumably wealthy in his own right. If he approaches, say, Les Moonves and says, “Les, old pal, speaking purely as a private citizen, if you can keep CBS from showing these protests, there’s a $100K personal check from me payable to you in my desk,” that seems, at first blush, completely legal. Of course, in today’s Internet world where everyone’s a publisher, this tactic doesn’t seem like it would scale well. I don’t think $100k is that much money to Les Moonves. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/37 "2016-11-12T14:34:52Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > My god the threads in this forum are becoming frantic. Tell me, OP, what is your dreamiest dream of Trump reaction? Maybe he’ll call in an airstrike? Order the police to use mustard gas? What craziness would cause you most happiness? That he starts his racist ranting and raving and strokes out, with the site EMS unable to resuscitate him. Sorry, he just seriously reminds me of the politician in The Dead Zone … ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/38 "2016-11-12T14:41:27Z")
What will he do? He’ll praise their passion for politics and their country, as he’s just done on Twitter. Trump has always had the capacity to surprise. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/39 "2016-11-12T15:05:58Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > What will he do? He’ll praise their passion for politics and their country, as he’s just done on Twitter. Trump has always had the capacity to surprise. What Trump tweeted early sounded like a cry-baby made it, “Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!” The following tweet that you are talking about here sounded more like if the handlers or Trump typed it. Anyhow, back in 2012 Trump thought that Obama had lost the popular vote (wrong!) and did indeed advise the people to revolt. > **[Donald Trump once called Electoral College "a disaster"; now says it's...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-calls-electoral-college-a-disaster-during-2012-tweetstorm/)** > > With Clinton on pace to win the popular vote, Trump's years-old criticism of the Electoral College resurfaces > [@](#): > > Lets fight like hell and stop this great and disgusting injustice! The world is laughing at us. > 9:30 PM - 6 Nov 2012 ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547/40 "2016-11-12T21:28:18Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > If people protest, Trump can ignore them. _Can_ he? > [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > … Mr Trump’s wisest recourse will be to let the current protests burn themselves out on someone else’s watch… Yes, of course. The question, though, is: is Trump capable of taking that path? If the protests continue, night after night after night–particularly if they remain largely peaceful, and many people express sympathy and solidarity with the protesters, with these videos and expressions of solidarity on display everywhere he looks–will he be able to tolerate simply doing nothing? Or will he…do _something_? Something that could get him in trouble … > [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > More protests will be planned in January, but there will also be more time to prepare responses. After he’s sworn in he will definitely do something, and may be able to do so under cover of law. Now, however, there’s not much that’s _legal_ that he can do. His supporters are already deploying in mainstream media and on the internet to say that the protesters are variously ‘professional protesters,’ ‘anarchist hooligans,’ and/or ‘crybabies’----but that may only be _fueling_ the protests, not discouraging them. What will he do? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-protests-continue-what-might-trump-be-provoked-into-doing/771547.md?page=3)