# What are forms of anti-Trump resistance that are both 1) effective and 2) plausible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 2, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507 "2025-11-02T20:03:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/21 "2025-11-04T02:45:04Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Sounds great. But IIRC, a federal grand jury requires only a mere majority of jurors to vote in favor of the prosecution to give an indictment. It might be hard for a Trump opponent to block an indictment since he’d have to get a good number of jurors on board. Its already started to happen. > **[Not guilty verdict in ICE case sends stark message to Trump DOJ’s political...](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/not-guilty-verdict-ice-case-153359200.html)** > > It’s not only grand jurors who have rejected the Trump administration’s charges. A trial jury just did the same. So if grand juries are struggling to get 51% of voters on board, what happens if someone requests a jury trial and you need 100% of jurors on board. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/22 "2025-11-04T03:41:37Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > So the best thing democrats can do is use the power of state governments they control to resist the federal government. Something like 40% of the US population lives in states with democratic trifectas, and those 15 states make up about 40-50% of the US’s GDP. What would this involve? Are there effective ways for a state to resist that can’t be quickly overruled by the Administration? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/23 "2025-11-04T04:51:24Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Physical obstruction of ICE (from arresting migrants) is plausible _and_ doable at the micro level, but it may not necessarily help on the macro level - and may in fact embolden Trump/Patel to crack down harder I think this is the only form\* of effective protest against Trump. No plausible means of protest will actually remove trump, but unlike the alternatives this one can actually reduce the effectiveness of his policies. A nationwide organized non-violent campaign to disrupt ICE could significantly hamper their ability to disappear people. Which is an extremely worthwhile outcome in and of itself (that should be the aim). But if it succeeds, it will seriously harm trump politically, not to mention personally drive him mad. It will undoubtedly provoke a backlash and will be very dangerous for those involved, particularly those at the top (no matter how fastidiously they avoid violence and stay inside the bounds of the law). But a backlash against peaceful protesters will not help Trump (not that it will hurt him all that much amongst the Republican base unfortunately) ‘\*’ - in the short term, the No Kings protests can be a stepping stone to the kind huge mass protests that can change policies and governments, but they aren’t going to stop people getting kidnapped by ICE right now. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/24 "2025-11-04T05:08:57Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > A massive landslide defeat of Republicans in the 2026 midterms would be good, but that still leaves a full year of time between now and then for MAGA/Trump to do damage Yeah it also goes without saying that during the second half of next year the most plausible and effective thing anyone in America is an do is out all their weight behind supporting democratic candidates for office, no matter how milquetoast and centrist they are. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2025, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/25 "2025-11-04T17:35:30Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > So if grand juries are struggling to get 51% of voters on board, what happens if someone requests a jury trial and you need 100% of jurors on board. This is good. And I also think we need to start charging ICE and others who lie about events in order to arrest people. As well as the prosecutors who bring charges that are obviously in opposition to the known facts (video evidence). Perjury charges, malicious prosecution charges, Law society, disbarrment… These people need to be held accountable when they lie in order to persecute the public for protesting lawfully. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/26 "2025-11-04T17:50:54Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > As well as the prosecutors who bring charges that are obviously in opposition to the known facts Though that would require controlling the federal legal system AFAIK. A state could not being a prosecution a federal prosecutor over illegal federal charges, right? I do think investigating those kind of offenses should be a stated policy of the Democrats going into 2028 though. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/27 "2025-11-04T18:01:39Z")
The Senate just voted down the CR to reopen government. Trump announced he will not allow SNAP payments until after the government reopens, in direct violation of two federal court orders. So when will all these feel good, dress up in your favorite animal costume protests every couple of months give way to actual shut down the country demonstrations and stoppages while people die on the vine? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/28 "2025-11-04T18:21:00Z")
I suppose if half the population suddenly refused to pay their taxes, it might create some mayhem. But feasible? Likely not. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/29 "2025-11-04T18:26:55Z")
But most people’s income taxes are already deducted automatically on their paychecks before they get their money. They couldn’t stop paying taxes if they wanted to. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/30 "2025-11-04T18:28:05Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Though that would require controlling the federal legal system AFAIK. The Bar Associations should investigate and take appropriate action when a lawyer is betraying their fundamental responsibilities. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/31 "2025-11-05T04:36:38Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Bar Associations should investigate and take appropriate action when a lawyer is betraying their fundamental responsibilities Is there a federal organization equivalent to the state bar that can take action against federal prosecutors? (And is not controlled by the federal government) Can state bar punish federal lawyers for what they do in federal cases (presumably even if they could it would not effect their ability to prosecute federal cases?) ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/32 "2025-11-05T18:31:30Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Can state bar punish federal lawyers for what they do in federal cases Absolutely. I even know a guy who was disbarred for something he did as an Assistant US Attorney. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/33 "2025-11-05T23:27:03Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > A nationwide organized non-violent campaign to disrupt ICE could significantly hamper their ability to disappear people. You may get ‘disappeared’ in another way. Lead comes to mind. These people are making their own ‘laws’. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2025, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/34 "2025-11-06T00:36:33Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > You may get ‘disappeared’ in another way. Lead comes to mind. Maybe but right now they _probably_ wouldn’t get away with executing me in cold blood for peacefully protesting (what with me being a relatively well off, English speaking, white, naturalized citizen). There are lots of risks inherent in my plan, but being executed in cold blood simply for protesting is not very probable (being shot with a “non lethal” weapon, having my citizenship revoked, being charged with some trumped up obstruction felony, etc. are all more likely outcomes) That will not always be the case. So better to do this now than waiting until they can get away executing me in cold blood for peacefully protesting, with no repercussions ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2025, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/35 "2025-11-06T01:26:51Z")
Voting for Democrats up and down the ballot. Like the people did in drives yesterday. _That’s_ a good form of peaceful resistance. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507/36 "2025-11-06T01:30:50Z")
Agreeing with the last post: We saw the answer to the thread title question yesterday — elections. Before the election, [Republicans were threatening to stop Mamdani from taking office should he win](https://nypost.com/2025/11/01/us-news/house-republicans-latest-push-to-keep-mandani-out-of-office/). If that happens, then we can say that elections are an implausibl tool to stop Trump. But when [Trump talked today](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/05/trump-elections-democrats-republicans-filibuster.html), he mentioned Mamdani’s win without any threat to block him from taking office: > [@](#): > > Trump told the Miami crowd on Wednesday afternoon, “We lost a little bit of sovereignty last night in New York, but we’ll take care of it. Don’t worry about it.” . . . > > “Now let’s see how a communist does in New York. We’re going to see how that works out. We’ll help him. We want New York to be successful. We’ll help him a little bit, maybe,” Trump said in Miami. Free elections are about the last thing to go when there is an authoritarian takeover. Trump knows, from sad-to-him experience, how hard it is to stop winners from taking office. While I am fine with legal non-violent protests, elections are the only highly effective means of resistance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-forms-of-anti-trump-resistance-that-are-both-1-effective-and-2-plausible/1024507.md?page=1)