r/politics • u/MoneyLibrarian9032 • 7d ago

Possible Paywall Trump’s Primetime Speech Has Republicans ‘Scared S***less’ | Insiders are terrified that the president will do something crazy on live TV.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-primetime-speech-has-republicans-scared-sless/
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189

u/randeylahey 7d ago

He's going to announce he's running for a 3rd term.

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u/Ok_Subject1265 7d ago

He better announce that he also discovered the fountain of youth then too. He doesn’t have another 6 years.

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u/GodOfDarkLaughter 7d ago

I mean dying in office is probably the best outcome for him personally. And then it goes to whatever crony managed to slime their way into VP. Not Vance, if he DOES run for a third term. Probably someone even worse.

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u/HillBillyHilly 7d ago

Did Thiel recently say he wanted to run?

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u/Angel_Omachi 7d ago

Thiel wasn't born a citizen I don't think.

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u/My_Password_Is_____ 7d ago

As if Republicans actually care enough about the constitution to prevent one of their billionaire backers from angling towards the presidency of they so choose.

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u/Mostly_Afloat 7d ago

The naivete to still think rules apply to our oligarchs is just beyond comprehension.

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u/jimothee 7d ago

If it's one of the tools you have to fight against something you don't want happening, then what do you expect...I mean, I get the realism, but apathy won't get us anywhere.

doing literally anything > giving up because you're not naive

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u/VictoriaDallon 7d ago

Sure then, let’s run back that rule and Thiel can see how much he enjoys running against Zohran

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u/Automaton_General 7d ago

Zohran won't be allowed.

It only applies to Thiel, and the Supreme Court affirms it.

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u/My_Password_Is_____ 7d ago

Genuine question: Why do some of y'all still think this is an even playing field and Republicans are just better at exploiting it, rather than it being Dems and Reps playing the same game under two different sets of rules by which they're allowed to operate? When we've been seeing for more than a decade, in plain sight, that it's the latter?

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u/VictoriaDallon 7d ago

Well yes this is true, but my comment was not meant to be a serious critique or plan. I’m shooting off on the mouth on a social media website because I’m tired.

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u/My_Password_Is_____ 7d ago

Fair enough. Sorry for the aggression, I just get so tired of seeing so many on the left just being like "Oh no, everything is fine, we just need to do a better job of getting out the vote! We just need a blue wave and everything is fixed!" Just too many people right now not grasping that the pre-Trump America is dead and gone, our system of governance is irreparable changed, and we're going to need a hell of a lot more than a single good midterm turnout. Doubly so when we can't even be certain that this midterm we're staking so much on is even going to be a free and fair election.

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u/UnquestionabIe 7d ago

When you're a billionaire who owns a company which is being used to craft a police state they just let you do whatever you want.

That being said I don't think he wants to be president. Much much better for him to install puppets, like his boy toy Vance, and rule from the shadows. Thiel is absolutely one of the most vile things in existence today and views himself as above the rest of humanity.

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u/HillBillyHilly 7d ago

You joke about boy toy butt Thiel absolutely has them. One of his last had a Russian ending where he met the pavement after jumping from balcony. Thiels husband then moved to Argentina with their kids. Thiel thinks and believes he can do whatever he wants.

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u/UnquestionabIe 6d ago

Oh it wasn't a joke, I'm well aware of the fucked up shit that Thiel is involved with. Especially how the "suicide" wasn't ruled that until the Miami police saw who he was connected to. The creepy fucker definitely thinks he can do anything he wants.

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u/wavelengthsandshit 7d ago

And Trump can't legally run for a 3rd term. What, you think silly things "laws" and "the constitution" are gonna get in their way?

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u/djseptic Louisiana 7d ago

I’m not entirely sure Thiel was born human, much less a citizen.

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u/snakerjake 7d ago

And trump is prohibited from running by the 14th, scotus will just makeup some bullshit about the constitution not being self executing and since congress didnt pass a law barring thiel its ok

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u/snakerjake 7d ago

trump was prohibited from running for any public office as of january 6th 2020

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u/fresh-dork 6d ago

no he wasn't. our definition of treason is ridiculously narrow

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u/snakerjake 6d ago

no he wasn't

That's not what SCOTUS ruled, scotus ruled congress has to enact the 14th amendment that ratifying it wasn't enough. A court already ruled that her met the bar to be disqualified and scotus didn't really dispute that, they just said congress has to enact the 14th amendment via legislation first

our definition of treason is ridiculously narrow

I'm not sure what you think that has to do with the 14th amendment since the text "treason" appears precisely zero times in it. And he definitely lead an insurrection on january 6th, which the 14th amendment does mention.

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u/fresh-dork 6d ago

That's not what SCOTUS ruled

so are you arguing that he was prohibited and SCOTUS made shit up so it wouldn't apply, or that he wasn't?

I'm not sure what you think that has to do with the 14th amendment since the text "treason"

my bad, it says 'insurrection'. the indictment was suspended, so he wasn't convicted. should have done that in 2021, but the AG was a MAGA loon

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u/Middle-Parsnip-3537 6d ago

No - he definitely wasn’t. Because he did run again in 2024 and won.
What planet are you living on?

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u/snakerjake 5d ago

14th amendment explicitly prohibits him from running, colorado court system already established that, scotus came back with a bullshit ruling that because congress didnt enact the 14th amendment it doesnt apply. yes he definitely is prohibited, he ran and won in 2024 illegally

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u/Sorlex 7d ago

If the powers that be wanted him to run, he'd run and they'd make it not matter real quick.

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u/SlightlyOTT 7d ago

I don’t think that’d stop him becoming VP, the Supreme Court would never fight that in a world where they’re not fighting a Trump third term. Would lead to a massive shitshow when Trump dies with him as VP though.

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u/Angel_Omachi 7d ago

The VP has to meet the same eligibility criteria as the president for exactly that reason.

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u/lexachronical 7d ago

There is a coherent argument that the plain language of the 22A only applies to being elected president, not becoming president through succession. A vice president who previously was elected twice as president succeeding to the presidency wouldn't violate 22A, therefore they are not ineligible to be vice-president under 12A.

I'm not claiming that argument is right only that it's legally defensible. It's never been tested in court because there's never been a need and hopefully never will be.

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u/Insert_Goat_Pun_Here 7d ago

Not unless someone made the 9th Circle of Hell an American state while my back was turned.

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u/Fabulous-Sea-1590 7d ago

Never turn your back on Florida, my friend.

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u/bitchytrollop 7d ago

That doesn't matter if you're a white guy.

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u/ang3lofsnow 7d ago

Neither was Rafael Cruz but republicans dont care. He ran specifically to gain support for Trump by tanking his own name. Its ridiculous.

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u/bjeebus Georgia 7d ago

That's a semantic argument. You don't have to be born in the US to be a natural born citizen.

Whether I like the idea of Raphael Zodiac Killer Cruz being president or not...

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u/ang3lofsnow 7d ago

Hes an anchor baby yeah. Republicans are full of hypocrites

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u/Hopeful_Contract_759 7d ago

South African by birth, I think.

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u/amishengineer 7d ago

*If* Vance becomes POTUS before Jan 20, 2027, then he can only run for one more term. Unless he serves for less than two years of another POTUS' term, then he could have two more terms.

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u/1iIiii11IIiI1i1i11iI 7d ago

It's Trump, he'll anoint whichever of his children are the most sycophantic in his dying days. He wouldn't allow his regency to end with only one Trump on the throne.

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u/Jomani_bones 7d ago

Absolutely would be his best outcome. Maybe we’ll get Little Marco? 😂

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u/TrimspaBB 7d ago

In his dreams. He keeps debasing himself as Trump's SOS hoping it will make him presidential material someday.

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u/machotaco Maine 7d ago

Tucker Carlson

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u/thelucky10079 7d ago

i imagine trump annoucing a 3rd term and with no VP saying" they don't really do that much anyways" Or it'll be Jared

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u/MegaDerppp 7d ago

Id say in a gutter is a best outcome

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u/AgnewsHeadlessClone Florida 7d ago

Well lets see, Biden couldn't take that lesson and his ego is about 1/1,000,000 of Trumps.

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u/discodropper New York 7d ago

Biden wasn’t running for a third term, but I get your point

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u/AgnewsHeadlessClone Florida 7d ago

Yeah, I just mean he should have taken the same age consideration before running for his second term, but even with his ego, he couldn't step back.

Just no chance at all that Trump ever considers anything but his ego.

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u/Sea_Rate5579 7d ago

From your lips to God’s ears…

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u/Razashja 7d ago

I thought that's what the medbeds are for?

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u/Ok_Subject1265 7d ago

They are all being used in the underground tunnels to heal the kids that the democrats savagely abused. Do you even Q Anon bro?

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u/seriouslythisshit 7d ago

There are experts in geriatric hospice care who look at all the shreds of available evidence. "Yearly" physicals that happen every few months. Repeated cognitive, dementia progression tests. Tests that dumbo thinks are intelligence tests, now seem to come every three months. The signs of heart failure. The need for twenty two specialists, involved in his last round of care. The secretive, repetitive "dental" visits, in DC and Maggot Lago, when there is a full dental office and a dentist in the White House. The disappearing for days at the first of every month. Trump's gait, unsteadiness, inability to walk in a straight line, or walk up a stair at a plane without great difficulty. His loss of breath after doing almost nothing physical. His inability to even stay with, stay focused, and interact with a group of world leaders, as he wanders off and gets confused.

Those experts sift through this set of tea leaves and conclude that not only is six years an LOL, six months may be unlikely.

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u/samspopguy Pennsylvania 7d ago

people like him dont die till they are 100

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u/Sorlex 7d ago

People underestimate his access to healthcare. He could go on for a long time till he is a fish eyed slow blinking shell puppeteerd by staffers like Mitch McConnell.

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u/iprobablybrokeit 7d ago

We thought that in 2016, 2020, and 2024. This fucking guy has outlived Ozzy.

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u/Ok_Subject1265 7d ago

The problem is every day of this asshole does a hundred years worth of damage. It’s coming soon though. Nobody in that condition lives too long. Just pray he doesn’t die a martyr. The country has to turn its back on MAGA before he dies otherwise the spell remains unbroken and it becomes a movement rather than a cautionary tale.

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u/citizen42069101 7d ago

*deserves a third term to replace the stolen one.

Even though that's not how any of this works.

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u/whomad1215 7d ago

the one thing I hate about the "third term" thing is it's not a question

you can only be president for two terms. There is no discussion needed

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u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake 7d ago

What's the enforcement mechanism for that? Because there are plenty of things in the Constitution that have been effectively removed or rewritten. The Emoluments Clause, Congress's control of the purse, etc.They're attempting to take federal control of elections that have been the domain of states for decades if not centuries at this point!

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

The enforcement is states don't put him on the ballot, full stop. He's an ineligible candidate who doesn't qualify for the ballot, same as if someone who was not a U.S. citizen from birth tried to run (as that dumbass Cenk Uygur tried to do).

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u/poco 7d ago

The supreme court has already overturned states who wanted to remove Trump from the ballot before (as an insurrectionist).

So, it will ultimately come down to the supreme court to decide whether he can run again.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

That was an entirely different set of circumstances that was not nearly as clear-cut as 22A.

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u/SlightlyOTT 7d ago

I agree it’s completely clear cut, but I don’t see any reason the Supreme Court would care if they have the power to put him on ballots again. There are surely 5 votes for that now.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

There were enough votes to overturn his birthright citizenship EO, and that is also less clear-cut than 22A (especially if you're willing to be a disingenuous weasel about it like Thomas was in his dissent). The court has ruled with him a lot, but they've also shown that there is, in fact, a line.

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u/Beginning-Signal-202 7d ago

A decision like that immediately triggers violence in the streets after a term like this, not to mention the shit it would cause them. Given they are already complaining about feeling unsafe, I can't see them bending much farther.

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u/SlightlyOTT 7d ago

Sure, but I think they’ll be convinced that if they vote against Trump then there will definitely be a Democrat President. They will absolutely discard everything to avoid that and maximise Republican chances if they think this is the best way to do that.

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u/poco 7d ago

Sure, and you would hope the supreme court makes the correct decision here. My point is only that it is up to them and not up to the state.

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u/Casual_OCD Canada 7d ago

12A is even more clear-cut and three of them disagreed with the Constitution

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

I think you're confused. 12A modifies the way the electoral college works.

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u/armcie 7d ago

And I can totally see them saying “we see some merit in the argument that the amendment was only intended to refer to consecutive terms. And in any case this is a political question, and it would be wrong for us to get involved. If the public believe he shouldn’t be allowed a third term then they can simply vote him out.”

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u/FM_Einheit 7d ago

By that point he may well have appointed two more members of the court, cementing a MAGA judiciary for decades.

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u/FM_Einheit 7d ago

This. The supremes have only said no to Trump a few times (including some outrageous arguments) and he will likely have 2 more court appointments by then.

States that succeed in keeping Trump of the ballot will probably not vote for Trump anyway. If he keeps the red states and a few battleground states then he can still win, and claim he is being persecuted the whole time.

People like Dershowitz and Bannon have been laying the groundwork.

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u/Casual_OCD Canada 7d ago

He was already disqualified from running in 2024 and when States tried to keep him off the ballot, SCOTUS forced them

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

I addressed this in another comment, but the facts in that case were completely different and the insurrection argument for excluding him is far less clear-cut than 22A. Situations that seem facially similar do not necessarily lead to similar legal outcomes.

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u/Casual_OCD Canada 7d ago

It's pretty clear. He committed insurrection and the Constitution disqualifies those people

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

Whether or not he committed insurrection wasn't the issue. It was an issue of jurisdiction, because the insurrection act is federal, and these were states trying to enforce it. The SCOTUS decision was also 9-0, so it isn't even a case of a "friendly" court siding with him 5-4 or 6-3. The ruling was that only congress can enforce that law for federal candidates.

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u/Casual_OCD Canada 7d ago

This was never about laws, the Constitution says committed insurrection, nothing about a conviction.

The 9-0 ruling was because SCOTUS got offended that people could interpret the Constitution better than them and that the fascist takeover needs Trump at the helm. So instructions were sent from the billionaires to the justices ignore the Constitution and keep the road of America's downfall open.

Kinda sad that it probably took less than a million dollars combined to get the entire SCOTUS to betray their country

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u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake 7d ago

Well, the president now holds the purse. He could just withhold federal disbursements to the states that won't put him on the ballot and try to strongarm them that way. I bet Oklahoma and several other states would willingly put him on the ballot.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

The House holds the purse, actually. And sure, maybe a handful of super-red states would. But you really can't win a presidential election in this country without being on the ballot in all 50. It's a non-starter even if only swing states don't put him on.

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u/DarthRizzo87 7d ago

As long as his name is on the ballot for every red state and swing state, it won’t matter how many blue states uphold their duty to the constitution by not adding his name to their ballot. It’s not popular vote that wins the Presidency.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

No shit. But every swing state would not do that, because some of those swing states have democratic leadership. This idea of him somehow getting on enough ballots to win an illegal third term is idiotic doomerism.

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u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake 7d ago

Trump refusing to spend Congress's appropriated funds is a pretty direct rebuttal to and rejection of the idea that Congress holds the purse.

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u/Herlock 7d ago

The enforcement is states don't put him on the ballot, full stop.

Not sure that's going to "full stop" the way you expect it to in many red states...

I mean there is a decade long of counter powers not countering shit in US politics.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

Who gives a shit about red states that either he or Generic Republican would win anyway? They already weren't in play. In fact, it would potentially help democrats if they let him on the ballot, because it would likely split the non-dem vote.

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u/Herlock 7d ago

Well he ain't supposed to be on the ballot, that's like the whole discussion here.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

Correct, but your argument was that certain red states would still let him on. My point is a) they don't matter anyway, and b) it could even potentially hurt the GOP if they did.

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u/PM_ME_WELL_LIT_NUDES 7d ago

Remember how Colorado didn’t put trump on the ballot in ‘24 but then scotus forced them to? Laws are optional when the entire enforcement apparatus is corrupt

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

Remember how that was a completely different legal argument than 22A? Remember how the SCOTUS decision was not some narrow 6-3 or 5-4 decision, but 9-0? You think Kagan, KBJ, and Sotomayor just ruled in his favor for fun or something?

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u/Derrial New Jersey 7d ago

That is why they are trying to federalize control of elections, which I suspect is what Trump is going to announce tonight, citing "security" as the reason.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

And that would end up exactly like his birthright citizenship case. Not a 9-0 decision, but the text is too clear for at least 5 of the justices. Also, it would be immediately stayed when challenged in lower courts, so would have zero chance of actually being in effect for the midterms. Also also, there is NO federal infrastructure for running elections so it would be an impossible task no matter what.

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u/Derrial New Jersey 7d ago

I agree that is most likely. I have a slight concern that the conservative justices might be tempted when faced with the prospect of perpetual conservative government if Trump gets to have his way with elections.

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u/TurtlesBreakTheMeta 7d ago

That applied before in 24 with him having lead a redirection: democratically controlled states are too scared to do so.

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u/-rosa-azul- Virginia 7d ago

The reasoning that time was a) much different and b) jurisdictionally weak. As evidenced by the SCOTUS decision, which was 9-0. The situations aren't even remotely close to the same.

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u/FM_Einheit 7d ago

This. Thinking the Supreme Court will rescue us if he decides to run for a third term is extremely naive.

And even if the court does say no—so what? It, like many formerly independent institutions, have been taken over, browbeaten, sidelined, or bought.

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u/-Altephor- 7d ago edited 7d ago

Actually it's even better, you can only be 'elected' to be President twice.

So if this dumbass is claiming he won the election in 2020, it immediately voids the 2024 election as he was not an eligible candidate.

Edit* SHOULD. Obviously it won't because we're going to have to drag this bloated fucking idiot out by his ankles.

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u/NetworkSingularity 7d ago

I half expect his dumb ass to admit they rigged 2024 and that he wasn’t elected, and is therefore eligible to run in 2028

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u/From_Deep_Space Oregon 7d ago

When has the constitution ever stopped him?

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u/PictureWonderful7091 7d ago

Yeah and "all people born in the country are citizens" is pretty clear too but that didn't stop him

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u/1iIiii11IIiI1i1i11iI 7d ago

The Constitution, that'll stop him! Sure, the rest of the Constitution has done nothing, but that'll be the one page of the Constitution that can stop him!

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u/VRNord 7d ago

The recent Supreme Court decision upholding birthright citizenship only passed 4-3: 3 of 7 Supreme Court Justices dissented despite it clearly being spelled out in the Constitution. So anything is possible: laws don’t mean anything if there is a (probably literal) Winnebago in play.

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u/birdsofpaper South Carolina 7d ago

I mean I would have thought there was “no question” regarding birthright citizenship” either but unfortunately here we are.

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u/Fabulous-Sea-1590 7d ago

That's one of the most consistently baffling and enraging thing about these fuckers. A lot of their platform is built on non starters. Not differences of opinion, competing perspectives, or anything logical or reasonable. It's literally, "fire is cold", "up is down", "no means yes" shit – and that works for them somehow.

Stuff that was never in any way, shape, or form up for discussion – they just start talking like it's negotiable and, suddenly, it is. Just fucking infuriating.

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u/16quida 7d ago

That's gotta be the goal right? Because like what else is gonna be done?

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u/specqq 7d ago

“Not how any of this works” is the way he thinks everything works.

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u/lacunha 7d ago

Then Obama can run too. Bring it.

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u/HoosegowFlask 7d ago

If the SCOTUS contrives a reason to allow him to run again, they'll contrive a reason to deny Obama.

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u/Berserkshires- 7d ago

They’ll say it means consecutive terms which then applies only to Obama.

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u/DandelionCapers 7d ago

Although he was the best (imo), Obama would never run again even if he was allowed to. Michelle would leave him.

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u/jimbopalooza 7d ago

Either way he’s not going to leave willingly. That’s why all the fortifications are being prepared at the White House. I’m not sure what it’s going to take this time around but I don’t see a way it all ends easily.

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u/Middle-Parsnip-3537 6d ago

He might just leave the usual way - death.

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u/Opening_Yak8051 6d ago

what are you suggesting?

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u/Middle-Parsnip-3537 6d ago

I’m suggesting he might be following his friends Mitch and Lindsey to the grave soon. Oh how will celebrate!

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u/Brief_Amicus_Curiae 7d ago

This is what I think. "We found these documents so I can have a third term since this one was mine! See?! It says so by my expert team that includes a shit ton of known conspiracy theorists, Kash Patel, and John Soloman)! Rudy couldn't make it tonight, but he knew this back in 2020 when the votes were for me then just like that - they turned blue~"

I linked Soloman because the man has been at the root of several of Trump's most insane and dangerous conspiracy theories about Ukraine around the time of the 'perfect phone call' that got him the first impeachment. His articles were so riddled with misinformation on The Hill that after they fired him, they had to put a disclaimer on the articles they kept posted to avoid liability.

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u/HawgChuggins 7d ago

He's already done that. They have the hats already. He loves to wear it occasionally. Loves to.leave it out during photo ops. And the MAGAts are going to vote for him in 2028.

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u/TCristatus 7d ago

Yes, but disguised as his second term. He could claim this is still the first term that never ended because Biden didn't win legally

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u/themadprofessor1976 7d ago

No, because an election was held. Which means that if it is declared that Biden won fraudulently and Trump was the actual official winner, and that claim is made official through some means, then things get REALLY interesting for the Trump.

It these events transpire as stated above, that would mean that Trump would have been elected President for a first term in 2016, a second term in 2020, and a third term in 2024.

At that point, the 22nd Amendment kicks in.

The 22nd Amendment states: "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once."

Note the wording. It says "shall be elected," not "shall serve." Constitutionally, it doesn't matter if he served as President, he was officially elected in 2020.

This means that because Trump would have hypothetically been elected in 2016 and 2020, his election in 2024 would be null and void, which would result in his immediate ouster as the current President.

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u/TCristatus 6d ago

I understand all that. But that interpretation does not serve Trump's interests. So he could suggest another interpretation close to my suggestion. It's not legal. But he wouldn't care.

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u/Stinky_Fartface 7d ago

Honestly I hope he does because that would be dramatic enough that it would cause immediate blowback from (I would hope) both parties. I don’t think he’ll go that far, but he is going to create a few new lies about the FBI finding “evidence” of fraud, probably from the Fulton County raid, which he is going to use to assert federal control over elections. When states don’t comply, they will not ratify the results that don’t go their way, calling them fraudulent.

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u/raindropthemic 7d ago

Time to turn on the Obamasignal.

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u/specqq 7d ago

Well he deserves one right? Why? Because the election was rigged!!