# Would Trump be allowed to take office if he wins the election? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 31, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292 "2016-10-31T19:57:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/41 "2016-10-31T21:58:45Z")
Okay, so you’re expecting a violent coup by _democrats_ if he’s elected?! Seriously? Who’s crazier? Trump supporters or Hillary supporters? Who’s better armed? Who started claiming a rigged election several months ago? Smug loses to crazy, they’re smug in response. Crazy loses to smug? _That’s_ where this kind of shit happens. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/42 "2016-10-31T22:01:39Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > This thread reminds me of people who ask, _“Why don’t the 24 million people in North Korea simply rise as one, speak with one voice, act as one, and topple their dictator?”_ > > Because it’s exceptionally difficult to arrange a revolt or coup d’etat without being caught. All it takes is one person in your midst to leak your plans for you to be in serious, serious trouble. > > In America, a military general wouldn’t be shot for trying to arrange a coup d’etat against Trump, but there would be severe career consequences. And now you think that we can get many generals together on the same page, and many soldiers, and many in the Secret Service, together, to have a coup? You’re right. I forgot, this is why there has never been a successful revolution or coup d’état. :rolleyes: > [@Icarus](#): > > Nah, the military and security apparatus will do what they always do, and what they did with Obama. They would sit him down and carefully, slowly, repeatedly until it sinks in, explain to him how thing really work in the world (in their view). They will do this until they get him on board. No need for a “coup” when you’re already in charge. This is a definite possibility. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Much as I hate the idea of Trump being President, I would hate tenfold the idea of him being denied the Presidency after being duly elected. Hitler was duly elected too, albet by a minority/plurality. People at the time thought of him as a joke and that he would be easy to control. Would it not have been the right thing to do to stop him from taking office regardless of the legality? And why is my point about Lincoln being ignored? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/43 "2016-10-31T22:10:00Z")
I don’t think OP’s premise is so very far-fetched. Suppose a creature from the opposite side won the election — imagine Bernie Sanders but buffoonish and with proven ties to Sandinistas and/or Hezbollah. But even in that case, let alone one where the GOP candidate wins, I’d expect the top generals and wise men to allow the inauguration to play out, keeping a close eye on key appointments. If it looks like sane figures will sit as National Security Adviser, and Sec’ys of State and Defense, with Mike Pence in day-to-day control, the brass will drop it back to Defcon 3 or even Defcon 4. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/44 "2016-10-31T22:21:35Z")
Given the way things have been going in this fucking electoral circus, I’d be less surprised by a coup against Hillary, but in either case, wild overreaction by the OP. The OP doesn’t remember the term "checks and balance’? There’s only so much Trump can fuck up before internal limiting factors kick in, and much as I dislike the man, I don’t see anything coup-worthy. So, sorry: you’ll just have to mount your insurrection on your own. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/45 "2016-10-31T22:27:15Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I don’t think OP’s premise is so very far-fetched. Suppose a creature from the opposite side won the election — imagine Bernie Sanders but buffoonish and with proven ties to Sandinistas and/or Hezbollah. Thank you! And again, I’m proposing someone from the Republican establishment as a replacement. A lot of this would depend on the true answer to the question I commented on in GQ about whether Trump would really have his finger on the nuclear button or not. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/46 "2016-10-31T22:28:37Z")
I’m going to rule rant, here. Off to the Pit. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2016, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/47 "2016-10-31T22:30:39Z")
**SlackerInc** , how much money would you bet on your scenario unfolding? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/48 "2016-10-31T22:35:39Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Good grief. Coup, no. I’m thinking the risks he faces are more along the two court cases I understand start before he would be inaugurated. What happens if an elected president is criminally convicted before they are sworn in? Do they still also have to be impeached and so on? Wait, what? Is Trump facing criminal charges? When did this happen? What cases are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/49 "2016-10-31T22:39:17Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Good grief. Coup, no. I’m thinking the risks he faces are more along the two court cases I understand start before he would be inaugurated. What happens if an elected president is criminally convicted before they are sworn in? Do they still also have to be impeached and so on? Irrelevant, since neither case against Trump is a criminal one. Nor will either one be completed by January. Bah. Ninja’d by Bricker. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/50 "2016-10-31T22:40:02Z")
You’ve had some whacky ideas before SlackerInc but you’ve stepped solidly into whackjob territory here. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/51 "2016-10-31T23:11:35Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Nah, the military and security apparatus will do what they always do, and what they did with Obama. They would sit him down and carefully, slowly, repeatedly until it sinks in, explain to him how thing really work in the world (in their view). They will do this until they get him on board. No need for a “coup” when you’re already in charge. You must be smoking the same crap the OP has been. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/52 "2016-10-31T23:40:16Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > You must be smoking the same crap the OP has been. He flew too close to the sun - his brain melted. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/53 "2016-10-31T23:45:42Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > **SlackerInc** , how much money would you bet on your scenario unfolding? At even odds? None. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/54 "2016-11-01T00:01:06Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Hitler was duly elected too, albet by a minority/plurality. People at the time thought of him as a joke and that he would be easy to control. Would it not have been the right thing to do to stop him from taking office regardless of the legality? And why is my point about Lincoln being ignored? Hitler wasn’t elected to the Chancellorship. He was appointed to the title. And he achieved most of his powers by ignoring the checks and balances of the German legal system. So it’s the idea of replacing a duly-elected President by extra-legal means that’s the path that leads to Hitler. The United States would be far better off dealing with President Trump by legal means; either vote him out of office in four years or impeach him if he’s too terrible to stay of office that long. But overruling his election? That would be wrong. And even of you don’t agree it would be wrong to do it to Trump, what makes you think we’d stop there? ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/55 "2016-11-01T00:06:02Z")
Who are you crazy people? The military leaders don’t get to choose who’s president. Jesus Christ. The only thing they get to do is refuse to carry out crazy-ass orders. If you don’t want Trump in office, get off your ass and work to make sure civilians vote. Jesus Christ. You people need to move somewhere else where they do crazy-ass coups every time you turn around. Jesus Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/56 "2016-11-01T00:32:40Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > So you propose than instead of letting Trump take office because you didn’t like the election, the United States just not have elections anymore? > > Based on a brief examination of places where the army takes over the government, I would suggest you not hold your breath, in such a situation, waiting for the next time the guys in uniform ever give you a say again in who runs the country. Once the soldiers take over, they’re in for a very long time. Sort of. Most military coups in recent years (and there haven’t been all that many) have been for short amounts of time. The one in Thailand a couple years ago is something of an exception. Even beyond that, for _most_ of the 20th century, even in countries where the military was happy to launch coups, they usually didn’t rule directly for most of the time. Like in Thailand, their role was more to exert a veto power over elected governments veering too far away from the military’s preferences. For example: > **[Military dictatorship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_dictatorship#South_Americas)** > > List of forms of government > A military dictatorship, or a military regime, is a type of dictatorship in which power is held by one or more military officers. Military dictatorships are led by either a single military dictator, known as a strongman, or by a council of military officers known as a military junta. They are most often formed by military coups or by the empowerment of the military through a popular uprising in times of domestic unrest or instability. The military nominally seeks po... In response to the OP, I think there’s a decent chance the military gets involved to prevent Trump from taking office, probably by the expedient of convincing the Republican Electors to choose someone else, and maybe by ‘convincing’ them that he’s psychologically unfit to be president. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/57 "2016-11-01T01:23:35Z")
Seriously, we need a forum for threads about subjects that are moot because **kaylasdad99** decreed that the situation is forbidden from coming up… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/58 "2016-11-01T01:26:29Z")
Short of impeachment, the best you can do is get the cabinet and Vice President to decide Trump is incapable of fulfilling the duties of the office. How you do this before Trump appoints any cabinet members is left as a thought exercise for the reader. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/59 "2016-11-01T01:34:18Z")
Hell, no! I’m firmly established as thinking that Trump as President would be a disaster, but a military coup that ousts the legitimately elected President (even if it is Trump) would be an even bigger disaster. America can survive a Trump term in office. Not necessarily comfortably, but survive it would. America WILL NOT survive a military coup that removes even as horrible a potential President as Trump is. I’ve been called a pragmatist as if it were a dirty word, and I claim that. I’d HATE to see a Trump win next week. But I’d hate to see a military coup in January even more. Much as I’ve been accused of acquiescing to the “lesser evil” by voting for Hillary, I would prefer the lesser evil of a Trump Presidency to the greater evil of a coup. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292/60 "2016-11-01T01:39:14Z")
**Slacker** , I really think you’ve lost it with this thread. I’ve thought you were a tool before, but never certifiable. I really hope I wake up to a post from you: “Man, I underestimated the effects of Trick-Or-Treating with a martini glass! Did I say anything dumb yesterday?” Besides, with Trump it wouldn’t take a coup. World leaders could just get together and try some creative bribes: “So, President Trump, how about you resign to spend more time with… your own island? I mean, Island Nation!” _“With resorts and gold mines?”_ “That can be arranged. And a Club Trump Med, and your own national news network.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-trump-be-allowed-to-take-office-if-he-wins-the-election/770292.md?page=4)