# What Happens if Trump Sets Up a Second White House at Mar-a-Lago? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 18, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338 "2020-12-18T14:46:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/41 "2020-12-19T19:00:07Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I was thinking more about situations like the Arkansas police chief who was encouraging people to assault any random Democrat that they come across. So how could Biden deal with that? Nationalize the National Guard? ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2020, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/42 "2020-12-19T19:02:24Z")
Seems as though you could federally prosecute him for inciting violence. He was pretty direct with calls to action. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/43 "2020-12-19T19:04:27Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > So how could Biden deal with that? Nationalize the National Guard? If things reach a point where that actually happens, with random Democrats being assaulted just because they are Democrats, police refusing to arrest known assailants or possibly being among the assailants, and local prosecutors refusing to prosecute them, then the next step would be to have state law enforcement intervene. Should the state level law enforcement also refuse, then yes, that sending in the National Guard as enforcement, with the FBI as investigators, would be the next step ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/44 "2020-12-19T19:08:56Z")
If that hasn’t happened to any widespread extent while Trump is in power (and it hasn’t), I don’t see why it would happen when he is out of power. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2020, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/45 "2020-12-19T19:15:45Z")
I suppose if he and his supporters really goes down this “alternative presidency” path, they may attempt to flex power locally precisely because that’s all they can now do - because they _don’t_ have any power nationally. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/46 "2020-12-20T01:13:08Z")
People need to think about the powers a President actually have and ask themselves how Trump is going to exercise them. Is Trump going to veto any laws? Of course not; they won’t be submitted to him for his approval. Is Trump going to be nominating judges or other government officials? Again, the Senate is not going to recognize his nominations. Is any federal official going to recognize the authority of an executive order issued by Trump? If they do, they’ll be fired by President Biden. Will there be a member of the armed forces following Trump around with nuclear launch codes? No. The point is Trump can’t go very far pretending to be President because the rest of the federal government isn’t going to play along with him. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2020, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/47 "2020-12-20T08:59:24Z")
Me thinks he’ll set up his White House in the New York State Supreme Court Building. Correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s going to spend quite a bit of this term there anyway. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/48 "2020-12-21T10:53:11Z")
Putin will build him a replica oval office so that when he travels to Moscow on or around Jan. 19 he can be president in exile. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/49 "2020-12-21T11:34:57Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I suppose if he and his supporters really goes down this “alternative presidency” path, they may attempt to flex power locally precisely because that’s all they can now do - because they _don’t_ have any power nationally. It’s beginning to smell a lot like civil war. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/50 "2020-12-21T12:00:50Z")
We’re not there yet, I don’t think. It is certainly one possible destination if we don’t get off this path, though. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/51 "2020-12-21T12:40:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The point is Trump can’t go very far pretending to be President because the rest of the federal government isn’t going to play along with him. That hasn’t stopped pretty much every other government-in-exile in history. Many of them have carried on for decades, practically ineffectual but still garnering recognition from a portion of their citizens (usual in the diaspora) and sometimes even from other sovereign states. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/52 "2020-12-21T13:00:36Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > What if Trump tries to pull a Rome/Avignon type of thing and sets up another Presidency at Mar-a-Lago That would be a brilliant campaign strategy for 2024. He could issue executive orders that would be followed by locals. Sheriffs could get re-elected on it. Imagine his 737 repainted like Air Force One with uniformed rent-a-cops to salute him. He’d continue to dominate the media and hold the batshit base intact. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/53 "2020-12-21T14:45:57Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Imagine his 737 repainted like Air Force One with uniformed rent-a-cops to salute him. Space Force One. He’ll set up a replica captain’s chair to sit in like the original _Enterprise_ from _Star Trek_. ---
**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:** [December 21, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/54 "2020-12-21T14:47:35Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Space Force One. > > He’ll set up a replica captain’s chair to sit in like the original _Enterprise_ from _Star Trek_. - Lets hope he forgets the seat belts. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/55 "2020-12-21T16:21:22Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Lets hope he forgets the seat belts. Seatbelts are for the weak. Trump is a strong guy. Only wusses wear seatbelts. Real men fly through the windshield and get up like nothing happened. Only Democrats wear seatbelts. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/56 "2020-12-21T17:23:10Z")
Would it be a terrible thing if they started to believe that? Lemme see if I got the number to Qannon right here. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/57 "2020-12-21T17:43:17Z")
You are all thinking too small. At first I thought a “White House” at Mar-a-Lago might be a great idea. You coild sell tickets for twenty bucks, and for an extra ten you can get ‘pardoned’ by whoever is playing Trump that day. Make Disneyland Great Again. But that’s small potatoes. What Trump really needs is ‘POTUS TV’ in which he spends every day sitting in a fake oval office on TV, responding to the events of the day as if he is President. Kayleigh McEnany needs a new job, and she can pretend to give daily briefings to actors pretending to be journalists (come to think of it, that wouldn’t be much different than the real thing). In between shows they can sell reverse mortgages and robot uprising insurance to frightened seniors. It’s ratings gold, I tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/58 "2020-12-21T17:52:21Z")
His neighbors already are taking legal action to keep him away. The laws say he can only stay there 21 days a year. He can’t just go to Ramada for a day and come back for 3 weeks, rinse and repeat. Yes that can change, I’m sure, but judges aren’t stupid. Even the ones appointed by Trump. There are decent people everywhere. Some in Florida don’t want him around. Good for them. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/59 "2020-12-21T17:52:22Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > In between shows they can sell reverse mortgages and robot uprising insurance to frightened seniors. And pillows! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338/60 "2020-12-21T19:56:46Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > It’s ratings gold, I tell ya. And best of all (for him) … Every day he can claim that if the Feds had actually followed his orders for whatever happened yesterday, those problems would be totally solved by now. And his base with their very short attention spans and severe shortage of critical thinking skills will buy that crap hook line & sinker. IOW, he’ll spend 2020-2024 being a totally successful dictator in the eyes of his followers. Literally everything he opined on would have been solved. Of course they’ll all vote for him in 2024. Who wouldn’t with a track record like that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-trump-sets-up-a-second-white-house-at-mar-a-lago/928338.md?page=4)