If Trump loses but refuses to leave the White House, what will the military do?

[catbyte]

BY TARA COPP
NOVEMBER 06, 2020

President Trump’s reaction to the vote count has raised new questions about whether he will cede the White House if he loses the election. But it’s not up to him.

The 20th Amendment states that the power of the presidency, and with it command of the armed forces, will transfer to the president-elect on Jan. 20.

snip

Deborah Pearlstein, a professor of constitutional law and co-director of the Floersheimer Center for Constitutional Democracy at Cardozo Law School said that if Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden is elected, after noon on Jan. 20, it will be up to him to decide which law enforcement branch, such as the U.S. Marshals or Secret Service, he would direct to get Trump to vacate the White House.

“If Donald Trump is still sitting in the Oval Office it will be up to Joe Biden to decide which is the relevant federal forces he would select to use,” Pearlstein said.

snip

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article247017117.html

[temporary311]

1. I imagine Secret Service

would be champing at the bit to have the honor.

[Glamrock]

3. I second!

That’s who it will be. But the US Marshall’s would have such a Hollywood flair in the media....

[Ohiogal]

12. I have been saying all along

I’d love to see two FEMALE Federal Marshals drag his sorry ass out ....

[Glamrock]

15. You n me both, sister!

You know how I love a strong woman! Rowr!

[Ohiogal]

18. You wouldn't be the only one

here on DU with a Gretchen Whitmer fetish .... I just happen to know ... and no I don’t mean myself ....

[Glamrock]

22. I'm not afraid.

I loves a strong/smart woman! My male ego isn’t so fragile as to be threatened by a woman....as long as she can’t out sing my ass!

[nilram]

10. Might have to argue with the joint military chiefs of staff.

And I mean the actual generals and admiral themselves, not their reports.

[trueblue2007]

28. it is French Revolution time. Like Louis and Marie Antionette!!!

[ck4829]

2. I imagine we'd all be OK with a single bulldozer making a new doorway

[Ohiogal]

14. I love that mental picture!

[Mariana]

4. They'll obey their Commander in Chief Joe Biden.

I doubt he would ask the military to do anything about Trump refusing to leave. It really isn't their responsibility to deal with such things.

[Blue_true]

5. Nothing. They don't have a role.

Since Biden would be leading the country, federal law enforcement would remove Trump.

[getagrip_already]

6. NOTHING- they already said as much.....

They announced on tuesday that they wouldn't get involved in any domestic activitities. That federal and state law enforcement were perfect capable of handling any crisis that comes up.

As they should.


Why stir shit like this up?

[safeinOhio]

7. US Navy Seals.

They are a Federal force.

[Skittles]

8. cut his cable or take away his tanning bed

yup

[whttevrr]

9. Nothing... he is one corpulent toadstool. You won't need the military.

He will be escorted out by his secret service detail.

Done.

Finito Mussolini will be no more.

[Ohiogal]

19. Might have to use a cattle prod.

[whttevrr]

24. Hmmm... cattle prod works, too.

[marybourg]

11. Call the electric and water utilities and order a cut-off.

[sarisataka]

13. Nothing.

The job of the military is to follow legal orders of the president. Other agencies are tasked with pest control.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. You Left Out...

...that there are departments tasked with regulating hazardous waste disposal!

[Niagara]

16. I found this article from Reader's Digest last night.

There is a proscribed sequence of events that happens when the incumbent president’s term expires at the dot of noon on January 20. These include:

The nuclear codes, which allow the president to order a nuclear attack, expire. The military aide who carries the “nuclear football” containing the codes leaves the departing president’s side and joins the president being inaugurated.
The U.S. military switches its allegiance from the outgoing president to the incoming president. Any military orders issued by the outgoing president would be refused. Any officers who obeyed such orders could be arrested and tried on charges of mutiny and sedition.
Likewise, the Secret Service moves to protect the new president and abandons the electoral loser, except for a small unit that will protect him and his family for the remainder of their lives, one of the perks presidents get to keep after leaving office.
These actions make it highly unlikely that a president could go rogue and refuse to leave office. Even if he tried, the new president’s acting attorney general could draw up arrest warrants for charges ranging from criminal trespassing to insurrection.

More at link: https://www.rd.com/article/what-happens-if-a-president-wont-leave-office/

[Lars39]

20. Prise his ass off the toilet.

[ThoughtCriminal]

21. Nothing. All we have to is...

stop the fast food deliveries.

[GopherGal]

27. Cut off the cable tv,

and jam the wireless signal so he can't tweet (or summon UberEats)

Then lay the breadcrumb trail of Whoppers.

[stopdiggin]

23. the "military" does exactly nothing -- and doesn't have to

as the article points out -- other parts of the federal government will be involved (if necessary)

[cureautismnow]

25. Call Home Depot!

[IrishEyes]

26. My mothers knitting club could do it.

We don't need the special forces military or secret service. This is one elderly, obese, crazy man. You would just need a few people to escort him out. Pack up whatever he brought with him to the White House and put it on the curb. If he doesn't arrange for a moving van then the garbage company will take it.