What if Trump doesn't want to leave the White House if he loses? The president does not necessarily have to live there
Trump has been repeating for weeks that the electoral system is unreliable and that he can only lose if the election has been faked by the Democrats. What if Trump loses but really doesn't want to leave the White House?
"It's over on January 20 at noon. It's not like you can stay in the White House. Then Trump will be carried away," said Elsevier editor-in-chief Arendo Joustra on the Op1 talk show yesterday. But is that really the case? America specialist Koen Petersen does not think so. "Literally carrying it away is not going to happen. But at noon on the 20th of January, Trump's presidency is really over, if he loses."
Nancy Pelosi, Trump's nightmare
In the unlikely event that that date in January is not clear whether Biden or Trump won, the law provides for an acting president. Petersen: "In the first instance, that observer is the Speaker of the House of Representatives." Right now, that's Democrat Nancy Pelosi. A great enemy of Trump.
America also voted for the members of that House of Representatives last Tuesday and the Democrats hold a majority there. On January 3, the House of Representatives meets and elects a new president. If they then elect Pelosi again, she could become acting president. "I think it would be a nightmare if he had to hand over power to Biden, but an even bigger nightmare if he had to hand over power to Pelosi."
Could the lawsuits delay?
Yet it is very doubtful whether it will come this far. Because on December 14, the electors from all states of America will meet. America connoisseur Frans Verhagen does not think the recount in Wisconsin and the lawsuits that Trump has announced about voting in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada will last longer than December 14.
"The charge about such a procedure has only a limited lifespan. After handling such a complaint, you can go to the Supreme Court of the relevant state. They will then decide in a day or two and only then do you get to the stage that the Federal Supreme Court in Washington is about it. If they decide to hear the case, it can be done in a day or two, so it will be there before December 14, "says Verhagen.
Law enforcement
But suppose Trump still stays where he is when he lost on January 20: in that White House? Frans Verhagen can imagine that the local police will be called in in connection with trespassing. But in that case, Trump is no longer president. Because the power of that office is tied to the person and not to the White House.
"That means that the soldier with the suitcase with military codes takes the car to Capitol Hill to attend the swearing-in of the new president and no longer leaves the side of the new president. The next president, whether that is Trump, Biden or Pelosi is in no way dependent on the White House to run the presidency. ”
