Presiden Amerika Serikat dapat dicopot dari jabatannya, dalam hal ini Wakil Presiden otomatis akan menjadi presiden, alih-alih hanya mengemban wewenang dan tugas kepresidenan sebagai penjabat presiden. Sementara Pasal II Konstitusi menyatakan bahwa "Wewenang dan Kewajiban" presiden diserahkan kepada wakil presiden jika presiden meninggal dunia, mengundurkan diri, ketidakmampuan atau pemecatan, presiden ke-10 [[John Tyler]] menafsirkan ketentuan itu mengizinkan Wakil Presiden naik ke kursi kepresidenan dalam hal seperti itu tanpa kualifikasi apapun jua. Praktik ini dikodifikasi pada 1967 dengan berlalunya Amendemen ke-25.
Jika Donald mengundurkan diri, Wakil Presiden [[Mike Pence]] akan menjadi Presiden Amerika Serikat ke-46; Mike akan menjadi presiden dengan masa jabatan terpendek dengan masa jabatan hanya {{Days Left|day=20|month=1|year=2021}} hari sebelum menyerahkan kekuasaan kepada [[Joe Biden]] sebagai presiden ke-47 pada 20 Januari. Pencapaian ini akan melampaiuimelampaui rekor [[William Henry Harrison]] yang meninggal pada 31 hari sebelumsejak masaia jabatannyamenjadi berakhirpresiden. ItPencapaian wouldini beakan themenjadi secondkedua timekalinya indalam historysejarah thatketika aseorang presidentpresiden woulddipaksa beuntuk forcedmengundurkan to resigndiri; thepengunduran firstdiri waspertama the 1974adalah [[Richardpidato pengunduran Nixon'sdiri resignationRichard speechNixon|resignationpengunduran diri]] of [[Richard Nixon]] whenpada it1974 appearedketika inevitabletampaknya thattak heterelakkan wouldbahwa bedia impeachedakan anddimakzulkan removeddan fromdicopot officedari forjabatannya hiskarena roleperannya in thedalam [[skandal Watergate scandal]].
DueKarena totekanan intensekuat pressurepada onpemerintahannya, hisancaman administrationpemecatan, thedan threatbanyak ofpengunduran removal, and numerous resignationsdiri, Trump committedberkomitmen tountuk antransisi [[orderlykekuasaan transitionyang ofteratur power]]dalam inpidato ayang televiseddisiarkan speechtelevisi on Januarypada 7 Januari.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 7, 2021|title=Trump agrees to 'orderly transition' of power|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/07/trump-transition-of-power-455721|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=January 13, 2021|website=Politico}}</ref> In the White House on January 8, Trump mentioned that he was not considering resignation.<ref name=suebsaeng>{{Cite news|last=Suebsaeng|first=Asawin|date=January 9, 2021|title=Stewing in the White House, Trump Plots a Boastful Media Tour and Screams 'I'm Not Going to Resign'|work=The Daily Beast|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/stewing-in-the-white-house-trump-plots-a-boastful-media-tour-and-screams-im-not-going-to-resign|access-date=January 12, 2021}}</ref> Trump made other similar comments the following week and gave no indication that he was worried about leaving early or a removal. Trump also predicted that it was, to him, a pointless endeavor since the soon-to-be Democratic-controlled Senate, currently in Republican hands, would never convict him in another impeachment trial, and asked advisers if they agreed with him.<ref name=suebsaeng/> On January 9, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Trump told [[White House]] aides that he regretted his statement committing to an "orderly" transition of power and that there was no chance he would resign from office.<ref>{{cite web|last=Vlamis|first=Kelsey|date=January 9, 2021|title=Trump 'expressed regret' for the video where he promised a peaceful transfer of power and says he won't resign, NYT report says|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-regrets-video-vowing-smooth-transfer-of-power-resign-nyt-2021-1|access-date=January 11, 2021|website=Business Insider}}</ref>
