# King Trump: How would Reps Respond? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 15, 2021, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113 "2021-12-15T17:13:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/41 "2021-12-15T20:13:19Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Trump running for a third term would be clearly unconstitutional, but what’s the means of enforcing that? If enough states put him on the ballot, and Republicans in Congress certify the election, we’d all know the result was bogus but I don’t know what recourse we’d have. > > There is one way the Supreme Court might get involved, but which hasn’t been mentioned. I am pretty sure that this Supreme Court wouldn’t stop a third Trump election. And I’m not even sure about previous courts, either, because in the recent past they’ve tended to view even clearly-stated eligibility requirements as a political issue that they should not interfere in. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/42 "2021-12-15T20:14:16Z")
> [@XT](#): > > but there would be a lot more to it than Trump and some Republicans just deciding to do it…or Obama and some Democrats deciding to do it…or anyone and whatever political party doing this. Cute attempt to slip a little “bothsiderism” into the conversation. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/43 "2021-12-15T20:14:28Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > There is one way the Supreme Court might get involved, but which hasn’t been mentioned. The Chief Justice is the one who administers the oath of office during the inauguration. He, or she, might refuse to do so if the election was so blatantly stolen, but if Trump and his cronies ignore all the other roadblocks, I can’t see them stopping for something as trivial as not being sworn in. Even that won’t be a problem. The oath being administered by the Chief Justice isn’t in the Constitution, it’s just a long-standing tradition, but even there, there have been exceptional cases where it didn’t happen that way. Trump could literally just say the words anywhere with witnesses and it would count. > **[Oath of office of the president of the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_office_of_the_president_of_the_United_States#Administration_of_the_oath)** > > The oath of office of the president of the United States is the oath or affirmation that the president of the United States takes upon assuming office. The wording of the oath is specified in Article II, Section One, Clause 8, of the United States Constitution, and a new president must take it before exercising or carrying out any official powers or duties. > This clause is one of three oath or affirmation clauses in the Constitution, but it is the only one that actually specifies the words that m... ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/44 "2021-12-15T20:14:42Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > How about the last year, in which they’ve consistently pushed a narrative of January 6th that downplays the entire event, even going so far as to say the rioters who stormed the Capitol we just “tourists”? Yeah, that’s pretty distasteful…but it’s STILL not them condoning it. It’s some of them excusing it, which, yeah, is bad…and stupid. Is it the majority of Republicans who have done this? If so and that can be demonstrated, I’m good saying the original assertion was valid…I was, after all, asking. > [@Horatius](#): > > It’s bad enough they’ve never condemned these people, now they’re making excuses for them. If that’s not “condoning” their actions, it will do as a good substitute. If it’s even a slim majority of Republicans who have done this, on record, I am, again, good with saying the original assertion is fine. A bit of hyperbole is always a thing here, and I do it myself all the time. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/45 "2021-12-15T20:15:40Z")
NM…this is just getting silly. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/46 "2021-12-15T20:16:16Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Yeah, that’s pretty distasteful…but it’s STILL not them condoning it. What the hell do you want-for them to say out loud “We condone the actions of those rioters.”? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/47 "2021-12-15T20:17:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What the hell do you want-for them to say out loud “We condone the actions of those rioters.”? Wasn’t…my…assertion. If it was just the speculation of the poster, I’m fine with them saying that. They asserted it as fact, so I asked. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/48 "2021-12-15T20:30:13Z")
> [@XT](#): > > But 147 Republicans objecting to the election results is still not them condoning, regardless of how you define that, the coup attempt. No. The 147 Republicans objecting to the election results IS THE COUP ATTEMPT. The mob was just window dressing. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/49 "2021-12-15T20:35:47Z")
They’d laugh at the idea as it is as silly as the premise. I don’t know a single monarchist. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/50 "2021-12-15T20:40:25Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Even if the Supreme Court said he couldn’t get a third term, what if they just ignored the Court? Yep. Decisions by the Supreme Court are the law of the land, and must be obeyed. Republicans: “Well, sure but what if we… didn’t?” ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/51 "2021-12-15T21:09:52Z")
If literally anything is possible, that seems to me to render political strategizing and speculation worthless. ---
**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:** [December 15, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/52 "2021-12-15T21:26:17Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Decisions by the Supreme Court are the law of the land, and must be obeyed. > > Republicans: “Well, sure but what if we… didn’t?” This is what I was going to say. If he runs and wins in 2024, by 2028 the electoral process will be so contaminated that anyone shouting “but it violates the Constitution for him to be elected to a third term” will be ignored or imprisoned. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/53 "2021-12-16T02:44:44Z")
Then I wonder what are the true believers waiting for. I mean, they don’t care about elections or legitimacy, and the country is being run by cannibal pedophiles. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m surprised that certain state governors and certain national politicians like Greene and Boebert haven’t openly declared that they consider Trump to be president _right now_, and ordered the mechanisms of their fiefdoms to treat him as such. As to the topic, it might depend at least somewhat on the way Trump does it. He’d face more opposition if he was a threat to the power of the current old guard, or if he expressed intent to take over…er, personally nationalize huge businesses. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/54 "2021-12-16T02:52:04Z")
If Trump were to push such a thing, I think many Republican leaders would heartily oppose, feeling relieved that they’ve finally found something justifiable in the eyes of everyone left and right to oppose Trump publicly on - kind of like how even some Democrats opposed FDR on the issue of court-packing back in the day; they had wanted to oppose him but hadn’t yet found a suitable issue on which it was safe to oppose him on. The Constitution would be the perfect cushion; _“No, we are not going to repeal the Constitution’s words on that topic just because of one 80-year old narcissist; I mean, do you conservatives want some future Obama-like president to have 5 terms in a row? 'Cause that’s what you’re gonna get…”_ ---
**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:** [December 16, 2021, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/55 "2021-12-16T02:55:58Z")
I wish I had your faith in the decency of Republicans. I don’t think there is anything that is beneath them and anyone who uttered a peep about a third term being unconstitutional would be immediately banished from the party and primaried out of office. I would love to be proven wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/56 "2021-12-16T02:57:30Z")
From _The Economist_, _The World Ahead 2022_. “Many Republicans love Donald Trump more than democracy”. (Hopefully not paywalled). > **[The second coming of Donald Trump](https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2021/11/08/the-second-coming-of-donald-trump)** > > Many Republican voters want Mr Trump to run again, as few seem to have been repelled by the January 6th insurrection ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/57 "2021-12-16T03:00:20Z")
Besides which, at least some of them wouldn’t think there would _ever_ be another “Obama-like president” in the future. At the least, it’d be their goal. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/58 "2021-12-16T03:08:45Z")
They might not, but at least it’s something that could ring the necessary bell in their heads. One hopes they aren’t so far gone that they can’t grasp that a Democrat could easily win numerous terms in a row by this hoist-them-on-their-own-petard logic. But my optimism isn’t that bright either. I talked to some Trumpers way back in January who were demanding that Pence make Trump president by fiat again. I pointed out that by this logic, Biden could have made Hillary president in January 2017. Their response was - Who cares, that was THEN, this is NOW! ---
**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:** [December 16, 2021, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/59 "2021-12-16T03:48:34Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Trump running for a third term would be clearly unconstitutional, but what’s the means of enforcing that? If enough states put him on the ballot I’d be greatly surprised if every single state doesn’t have a law on the books requiring you to be eligible for the office you want to be on the ballot for. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113/60 "2021-12-16T04:26:31Z")
What if, given his age,Trump becomes fused with a robot like character. Could RoboTrump run for two more terms? RoboTrump has never been President before. "We must move forward, not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-trump-how-would-reps-respond/956113.md?page=4)