Do we need to test these waters?
Ummm... please? No? Actually, had an interesting debate today with someone about a Trump presidency. One of his first two actions would be military, and illegal on many fronts. (Carpet bombing Syria, or targeting known-terrorists' families.) The military would refuse the order from their Commander in Chief. (Which they are completely within their rights to do.) And then you have the US Military stronger than the President. A president who has already proven himself to be a petulant child... so... Military coup replaces Trump? Weird.
You think? The UN says they're supposed to, but then the UN says you're not supposed to tortureapply advanced interrogation techniques to prisoners either. I don't buy the military flat refusing anything that comes with any kind of rationale. There is already a mechanism to handle this situation. Congress impeaches Trump, and does so easily because both parties want him gone. No coup necessary. That said, I doubt Trump means most of what he spews, and while he wouldn't be a competent President, the amount of damage he could do would be limited by the grownups in his own party being as horrified by him as the rest of us. Trump getting elected would be bad, but not apocalyptic.The military would refuse the order from their Commander in Chief. (Which they are completely within their rights to do.)
A president who has already proven himself to be a petulant child... so... Military coup replaces Trump?
Two quick things because I only have a moment to respond: 1. Yes, all of the commanders in the US Military have already come out publicly against Trump's statements, and have said - unequivocally - that they would not obey these orders. 2. Impeachment is only a black mark on the President's record. Impeachment does not equal "removal from office." Several Presidents have been impeached, and then go back to work in the Oval Office the next day. Removing a sitting President has never been done, and I am not sure off-hand how that process works. (Nixon left of his own accord.)
Removing people from office is what impeachment is for. "The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." No president has ever been removed, but people have been removed from other offices.