If you keep serving this President fat softballs across the plate, he’ll keep on swinging. It’s impossible to tell when liberals are being serious or intentionally hyperbolic sometimes, but plenty of them have suggested that if Donald Trump either loses his next election or completes two terms, he might refuse to leave office. Despite the obvious flaws in this “plan” based on both the 22nd Amendment and, well… just the way the system works, the President decided to pick up that ball and run with it yesterday, tweeting that people might demand he stay longer. And how can you disappoint your fans, right? (Boston Globe)
President Trump on Sunday floated the possibility of staying in office longer than two terms, suggesting in a morning tweet that his supporters might ‘‘demand that I stay longer.’’
The president has previously joked about serving more than two terms as president, including at an event in April where he told a crowd that he might remain in the Oval Office ‘‘at least for 10 or 14 years.’’
The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution limits the presidency to two terms.
Where did he get this idea? Possibly from Bill Maher, who repeated this threat to our democracy only a week ago on CNN.
“If he loses… he won’t go. I’ve been saying that since before he got elected.”
“Real Time” host Bill Maher warns @ChrisCuomo that President Trump may not leave the White House is he loses the presidential election in 2020, saying it’s something we have to worry about. pic.twitter.com/znTRm3yyO7
— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) June 12, 2019
How long will liberals keep falling for this? They should know by now that the President loves trolling them and leaving the left side of our political system in chaos. But in case any of you are seriously worried about this possibility, you can put your fears to rest. A departing president doesn’t have any mechanism available to stay longer.
Even leaving the 22nd Amendment aside, remember that the outgoing president doesn’t need to do anything to exit the office on schedule. There is no “resignation” or other documentation that must be filed to end the administration. The new president is sworn in on the appointed day and that’s that. The foolishness of any president attempting to handle things otherwise was nicely summed up by Jonah Goldberg.
This is all magical un-thinking idiocy. Refusing to leave wouldn’t give him special powers, like refusing to take off the One Ring To Rule Them All. Refusing to leave would make him the crazy guy the Marines escort out of the building. https://t.co/p4aLcadceX
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) June 13, 2019
Followers of Bill Maher can keep setting their hair on fire all they like. But keep in mind that the President is most likely sitting in the West Wing watching all of this play out and laughing heartily.