"What would happen if Trump just refused to leave the White House?"-- Joaquin Montes de Oca, 8th Grade
On Saturday, November 7th, Americans awoke to breaking news: The long, drawn-out nail-biter of a Presidential Election had come to a close. Not all of the polls were in and some wouldn’t be for days to come, but when they checked their cellphones and switched on their televisions, it was over. Joe Biden won.
For some this was great news. News stations showed parades and celebrations in the streets. A good chunk of America, however, was not as ecstatic. Among these people was current president Donald Trump. Trump was on his golf course in Virginia when he heard the news. It didn’t take him long to start tweeting.
For some this was great news. News stations showed parades and celebrations in the streets. A good chunk of America, however, was not as ecstatic. Among these people was current president Donald Trump. Trump was on his golf course in Virginia when he heard the news. It didn’t take him long to start tweeting.
This is one of many claims that the president would make in an attempt to invalidate the results of the election. Despite Trump’s assertion that “OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTING ROOMS,” this PolitiFact article marked this and a different tweet by the president that presented the same claim as a “Pants On Fire Lie.”
Besides this, Trump's twitter page is full of tweets littered with blue stamps all along the lines of "This claim about election fraud is disputed," or "Multiple sources called this race differently."
Besides this, Trump's twitter page is full of tweets littered with blue stamps all along the lines of "This claim about election fraud is disputed," or "Multiple sources called this race differently."
Trump’s denial of his loss is no surprise. He had made it clear for months that any election that had Biden as the winner must be rigged. Back in September, 40 days before the election, Trump was asked at a press conference whether or not he could commit to a peaceful transfer of power were he to lose. He responded saying, “Well we’re gonna have to see what happens. You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster.”
But what would happen if Trump just refused to leave the White House? Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, Paul Quirk, says that it will all come down to law enforcement.
“At some point, the question would become: whose orders do law enforcement obey? Because it would ultimately become a matter of the use of force in one direction or another,” Quirk told The Independent.
The Constitution has no instructions for such a situation.
It looks like for now, we’ll just have to wait and see. Trump has already begun to take legal action in several states. And although he doesn’t appear to have any clear paths to victory, he has made it clear that he will go down fighting.
One of University of New Haven’s professors in political science, Joshua Sandman suggests a different idea. Sandman believes that Trump will leave office on his own free will because to refuse this would make him look like (for lack of a better term) a sore loser. Many have noted that no modern president has refused to concede when they lose.
It will be months before we know. But for now I leave you with some words by the president himself from way back in 2016.
But what would happen if Trump just refused to leave the White House? Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, Paul Quirk, says that it will all come down to law enforcement.
“At some point, the question would become: whose orders do law enforcement obey? Because it would ultimately become a matter of the use of force in one direction or another,” Quirk told The Independent.
The Constitution has no instructions for such a situation.
It looks like for now, we’ll just have to wait and see. Trump has already begun to take legal action in several states. And although he doesn’t appear to have any clear paths to victory, he has made it clear that he will go down fighting.
One of University of New Haven’s professors in political science, Joshua Sandman suggests a different idea. Sandman believes that Trump will leave office on his own free will because to refuse this would make him look like (for lack of a better term) a sore loser. Many have noted that no modern president has refused to concede when they lose.
It will be months before we know. But for now I leave you with some words by the president himself from way back in 2016.
