That’s a definite possibility.
I still think this is a very likely scenario.
I doubt Trump would ever be responsible enough to actually abdicate to Pence, so we may have a few weeks during which we effectively don’t have a president. That could theoretically be dangerous, and one might hope the Cabinet would be ready to transfer power to Pence if necessary, but I don’t have faith in those stooges to do so.
It could be a tricky situation, during which the military may have to be ready to act to defend the country without a civilian commander in chief. That is technically illegal, but what else can they do if Trump refuses to do his job in a fit of pique, and the Cabinet is too cowardly to exercise their responsibilities under the 25th Amendment?
IIRC if the President is unhaveable for whatever reason the Secretary of Defense has command of the military until the 25th Amendment is invoked.
Since there won’t be a traditional inauguration, I predict he leaves a couple of days before. He’s still the President regardless until January 20 at noon
I think you’re too optimistic. Should Trump definitively lose the election such that he can’t realistically contest the results (HUGE “if”), he will spend the last couple month of his term squeezing every last drop of grift out of his position that he can. Pardons for himself and everyone in his circle. Extensive executive orders to benefit his and his friends’ business interests. Helping true believers “burrow in” to the federal bureaucracy.
And his pettiness and spite will push him to leave the government in the worst shape possible for the incoming Biden administration. We’re not talking a few “W” keys missing from keyboard here – there will be NO transition to speak of, probably bonfires of administration documents and I would be shocked if he showed up for Biden’s inauguration.
If he loses the election, I think that he will refuse to accept the results, stoke his base and claim to be the legitimate president. His base will go along, his defenders here on the board will parrot whatever talking points they are given. How this all ends is anyone’s guess, but not well.