I think Trump will resign.

[Raven]

Here's my thinking:

He hates the job.
He hates living in the WH.
He hates having his every move monitored.
He knows what he has done and that he will ultimately be exposed.

He'll resign and claim to be the victim of a witch hunt. Pence will issue pardons. He will maintain his base of deplorables and start his media empire with them following right along.

What do you think?

[Chasstev365]

1. Rattlesnakes don't commit suicide

Too much of a narcissist!

[Mrs. Overall]

2. Resigning would be a good outcome, but I fear he will throw a tantrum and create

destruction to not only the office of the president, but to numerous departments and institutions.

I am also concerned he may start a war for diversion purposes.

I think he may use chaos as a tool to save himself.

[annabanana]

12. He is ALREADY, actively destroying

the office of the president, and numerous departments and institutions. This is why otherwise normal seeming Republicans didn't kick him to the curb months ago. That's what they want him to do.

[Mrs. Overall]

14. Agree, but I think it will become much worse as he flails around attempting to keep power.

I truly hope he resigns.

[RKP5637]

29. Exactly! The GOP wants the US to fail, and then they will become ONE-PARTY rule by whatever

means necessary. Many Americans are just too F'en naive and/or poorly educated. FFS, history is full of governments collapsing. The US could also go into chaos and then martial law declared, troops on the streets and then whatever. Trump is ripping apart the fabric of the US from within. Some of America is like bystanders watching a crime in progress and deplorables cheering it on. I don't think the founders thought the president could be the most destructive person in the room. The checks and balances are working, but like a leaking dam.

[drray23]

3. that is what I think I well

I dont see any other plausible outcome for him to be able to wriggle out of trouble. Even if he was to fire Mueller, Congress could turn around and setup a comission with a prosecutor leading it as in watergate. It would answer only to congress and Trump would not be able to stop it. Heck, they could even name Mueller to head it.

[Pachamama]

4. I have thought the same....although I am not sure where Pence plays into this whole mess....

Either Pence is in on it and its part of the plan....or he ends up playing Trump to the end and then NOT issuing pardons....

Guess the defining factor will be if the Russians have Kompromat on Mike Pence too....

[Rorey]

10. Because he's so repulsive

Yes, we should absolutely be focusing on 2018, and I think we are doing that. I think we can do both.

Welcome to DU.

[Rorey]

6. Isn't accepting a pardon admitting guilt?

If this scenario does happen, then we can focus on finding Pence's involvement in everything and nail him too.

[forgotmylogin]

7. That's why he was asking about pardons.

He's planning to mulligan out if he and his brood can just drop everything and run.

So ruinous to America to run for the Presidency on a lark and then say "Nah, never mind. I'm outtie," after so much money has been invested.

[crazylikafox]

8. Possible.

I never thought so in the past, but now with Mueller closing in around him, maybe he would. Pence would pardon Satan if it would give him the Presidency. And getting him and his family safely back to their golden tower in NYC without charges or jail time may be starting to look very desirable for the old Trumpster.

[cwydro]

9. Nope.

It's pretty to think so though.

[SweetieD]

11. Not a chance. That is something a rational person would do. Trump lives in a dream world.

He is a narcissist. He will think he can talk his way out of this and everyone will believe him. He thinks he is a God. He will take us all out if he has to go. If he leaves he will have to be drug out of the white house.

[Cosmocat]

25. I just don't get how people think he is going to resign

have they not been paying attention the last two years?

[RKP5637]

31. Or start a war with someone, perhaps NK, to deflect attention from himself. The guy is unstable

and unpredictable. IMO he's the most dangerous president in the history of the US.

[MoonRiver]

13. Only way is if he's facing impeachment and/or prison.

And even then, only IF he can cut a deal to avoid prosecution. I think the stuff in his tax returns must be very incriminating, or he wouldn't be so terrified of Mueller getting those returns. He might resign to avoid that info from going public. After all, its not just federal charges he's potentially looking at. Pence can't pardon him for state crimes, which I'm sure are many in New York.

[RKP5637]

32. Exactly my thoughts too! His corruption and shenanigans are going to be revealed and he

and his cohorts well might face criminal proceedings. He knows that IMO. Otherwise, why would he be investigating pardons and possibly firing Mueller. If he were 'not' in trouble, he would just let it go on to prove his honesty and worthiness. The shit is going to hit the fan, he knows that I would think, and he scurrying around for cover/solutions.

[no_hypocrisy]

15. IF . . . he did, this how it would play out.

Trump would have briefed Pence and kept it secret for about 2 days.

It would be a Friday afternoon, and Trump would board the WH helicopter to fly to Bedminster, his golf course in NJ. On his desk would be two signed documents: resignation and a blanket pardon with about 12 names on it, including his. He would leave the WH permanently under cover and without media.

From Bedminster, he'd be at his desk at Trump Tower the next Monday and President Pence would address the nation on Sunday night after having John Roberts administer the presidential Oath of Office via Special Report.

(BTW, Trump just might have President Pence pardon him and his family. One less thing to do when leaving. Plus, if Trump CAN'T pardon himself, the only way to save his sorry ass would be to resign to allow President Pence to pardon him.)


Postscript: NBC MIGHT give him his Apprentice show back. Think of the ratings!

[Johnny2X2X]

16. He loves the job

He absolutely loves this chaos, he thinks it makes him a bog shot.

The only way he resigns is if it looks like he will for sure be thrown out.

[Le Gaucher]

17. Yes. Totally agree.

This is best strategy for Republicans going into 2020 as well.

[Johonny]

18. We all think that, but he's desperate to have something anything pass congress

so he can declare victory and get out. The rethug congress knows this and has apparently decided not to give the * the satisfaction.

Tax cuts are next on the agenda. If Republicans can cut taxes this congress can't do anything and he's gonna be screwed.

[sunonmars]

19. I would not be so sure of Pence issuing pardons, he may go down the route of "not appropriate"

to build himself up as a law and order POTUS.

[MoonRiver]

21. Unless Chump blackmails him.

My feeling is that Pence is almost as deep in the ruskie doo doo as Idiot In Chief.

[Cosmocat]

24. How did pardoning Nixon work out for Ford?

nm

[Gabi Hayes]

20. He will pardon pence first, who will pardon himT

T diddy will pardon everybody else first, too

[Tatiana]

22. He will never resign.

The Presidency is his stay-out-of-jail card.

He never wanted to be President in the first place, but clearly something (or someone) compelled him to do this. Yes, he's miserable, but I don't think his real boss would allow him to resign.

[Raven]

23. good point about

his "real boss". I never considered that.

[gordianot]

28. Any one who thinks he can pardon himself is desperate.

Even Nixon knew better and chose resignation. Trump is not as smart as Nixon.

[CincyDem]

26. Absolutely not.

Your problem in this assessment is that you're looking at things like a normal, rationale person might approach the issues. Were not talking about a normal rationale person here. So your logic, that in virtually every corner of the civilized world would correctly see 2+2=4...it Trumpland, 2+2=saxaphone (or chair or hippo...who the hell knows what goes on in that mind).

My point is that you can't look at the world like a normal person and from that view, predict how a malignant narcissist like Trump will react to any circumstance.

My only prediction is that whatever he does - it will leave normal people like us with their mouths agape saying "He did WHAT ?????".

[DetlefK]

27. Nonono. If he resigns, people would think of him as a loser.

Trump would only resign if it could somehow be spun into him defeating the Democrats/Obama/Hillary.

[Clarity2]

30. I agree with Tatiana

Hi all...new here. Actually been lurking since before election, tried to register post election and couldn't for some reason get registration confirmation until I retried a couple mos. ago.

Anywho, I personally think Putin has kompromat on Trump, i.e. he'll out him on decades of money laundering and probably other things and that he's forced him to stay in the job. I think Trump is miserable as president. Just looking at the Times interview recently, the man is beyond stressed and unraveling. I also think he has oppositional disorder & is bipolar, never mind the narcissism and dysfunctional grasp at reality, and it's deeply ingrained in him subconsciously to never do what the "haters" want him to do or do anything remotely in the best interest of the public at large. He's like the tazmanian devil..he wreaks destruction in every path he takes. Putin knew exactly what would fit the bill to accomplish what he wanted - a reckless, mentally ill human being in the white house. The useful idiot.

But if Trump could flee unscathed with his family to another country to get away with his crimes, I think he would. At this point, all he has are the dictators of the world to flee to, and they just may have a secret united front in holding Trump to the office with russian kompromat & basically hijacking america.

Just my instinct.

[Rhiannon12866]

38. DU experienced some serious issues starting on election day, so it wasn't you

We're so glad that you managed to join us now! DU first launched on the day that George W Bush* was inaugurated. We had no idea back then how bad things could really get! I agree that Trump has some incredibly toxic issues that we never envisioned before. It sure helps to have DU for moral support!

[H2O Man]

33. Recommended.

I think that there is a very good chance that Trump will quit in 2018. The Democrats should be able to regain majorities in Congress, and I anticipate that impeachment hearings will begin. Trump will resign in disgrace .....saying he wants to spend more time with Ivanka.

[sunonmars]

34. Personally i prefer the 24 - President Logan arrested way......

[DesertRat]

35. I don't think so

He doesn't like "losers" or "quitters" and wouldn't ever want to be seen as one.

[maryellen99]

36. But to his voters he'll be seen as a martyr nt

[DesertRat]

37. Yes, he would.

It would be so much easier on the GOP if he resigned and let Pence take over and push through their agenda.