And what great optics that would make if they ever used them against Americans on American soil.
If the military is on the side of the coup, you will not gain from the bad optics.
The only optics you will see is soldiers handing out candy bars.
I don't see President Pence using A-10s and USMC rifle companies to unclog a protest in the Holland Tunnel.
And it would be President Pence. In the order of Presidential succession, Hillary is as far down on the list as I am.
Also, in the unlikely event that it ever happened, I wouldn't expect an open CW2 to include a repeat Pickett's Charge on Washington DC. Iraqi civilians are much more poorly equipped and kept the finest military that the world has ever seen busy for years.
The United States has the largest network of energy pipelines in the world, with more than 2.4 million miles of pipe.
There aren't enough USMC rifle companies to guard all 2.4 million miles. The US infrastructure is extremely vulnerable, in the unlikely event that it ever came to that. In 2001, 19 terrorists shut the country down for over a week. Imagine what 1,000,000 (that's 0.3% of the country) motivated patriots could do if they wanted to.
So impeach Trump? Maybe. The Senate convict him? Far less likely, even if they all thought he was guilty as sin. (Clinton's approval numbers went up when he was impeached.)
No one would care or do anything, just as they don’t now. There are active military/CIA operations - illegal and illicit - going on over our heads all day and night now, over US soil.
Nobody did anything when TSA started molesting babies and the Boston stormtroopers stole the public’s guns. No one did much to help the ranchers who stood up against the FBI. Most of the public is asleep and hence, aiding the Communist coup
Tanks, A-10s and rifle companies are too noisy to keep a secret. Chocolate bars on CNN won’t fool them, but CNN will surely be part of their response. They’ll have to be more subtle to keep it a law enforcement matter and not a military one. So, the police will be given new powers to function more like the Gestapo instead of your local constabulary. They would become the domestic arm of the military. They’re almost there now with tactical gear and kangaroo courts.
This is where I think it would go.
We are a hairline away from midnight knocks at doors.
As it is conservatives, libertarians, etc. are being completely removed from having any sort of digital life. Not just Twitter or Youtube but banking and financial services.
If Trump is impeached, they are going for the whole thing and FAST.
There will be no optics or messages that benefit our side because they are going to seize control of it all. All platforms, all messaging and all images.
It'll be 24/7 white supremacists and nazis. Conservative Inc. will back them up every step of the way as they are backing land seizures and hiding farm murders in SA.