What would happen if Donald Trump declines his nomination?

[Human]

It looks like Donald Trump has officially won a majority of the delegates.

As we all know, the GOP nominee gives an acceptance speech after they've officially secured a majority of the delegates. The first line of this speech is "Mr. Chairman, delegates. I accept your nomination for President of the United States."

What if Donald Trump says "Mr. Chairman, delegates. I decline your nomination for President of the United States" during his acceptance speech and walks off the stage?

What would happen? Crazy things have happened this year, so nothing can be completely ruled out.

Discuss.

[cinyc]

What happens if space aliens abduct Hillary Clinton in between the time Clinton is formally nominated and she gives her acceptance speech?  That's about as likely to happen as Trump declining the nomination.

[ElectionsGuy]

What would happen if Bernie Sanders were to win the Democratic nomination?

[Santander]

Your green avatar is fitting.

[evergreenarbor]

It won't happen, but if it did it would throw the convention and the party into total disarray.

[Mr. Morden]

Any other American citizen named "Donald Trump" who meets the constitutional requirements to be president would have 24 hours to get to Cleveland to seize the nomination for themselves.

[PeteB]

Any other American citizen named "Donald Trump" who meets the constitutional requirements to be president would have 24 hours to get to Cleveland to seize the nomination for themselves.

No need to search.... Junior is already there and sounds like a much nicer person than his dad

[Senator Spark]

In an ideal world he would, but he wont

[Seriously?]

I'm confused. Maybe I didn't see Trump in a video message to the crowd congratulating them on voting him the nominee and telling them how he'd be there Thursday for a speech he's going to give.

Maybe Trump was just trolling them. /sarcasm

Or perhaps Donald Trump, Jr. was just faking it in his speech for his dad and when he spoke for the New York delegation to put Trump over the top. /sarcasm

Or Trump flew out to Ohio to introduce his wife because he just wants to "Rick Roll" the 15 million-ish people that voted for him in the primaries. /sarcasm

I have a better chance of winning the Powerball than Trump declining the nomination at this point.

[Ronnie]

I hope he does it, all while repudiating and acknowledging that he has been a caricature of the kind of dog whistle politics that Republicans have engaged in for decades.

I'm not holding my breath, though.

[Sir Mohamed]

Your green avatar is fitting.