Exactly. He won't step down and admit weakness. That's not his thing. Instead, if it happens, some terrible hardship or situation will arise that allows him, in effect, to resign his responsibility. He's one very creative guy, especially at creating false narratives that work with folks that don't bother to actually look or think about evidence. I expect that he'll come up with a narrative that would leave some of his staunchest supporters applauding him for having the bravery to step down. Anyone have possible ideas of what he could say? Maybe, Melania has some incurable disease and she needs his attention? Or, he is stricken with some bizarre illness that cannot be medically proven?
Unfortunately, my most-likely is a disaster in which the gentlemanly thing to do is to step aside so that more competent people can save the day but Trump isn't a gentleman and he doesn't have a deep bench of "more competent people." I think the opportunities for face-saving are long gone. The question is how much Trump believes he can pull it off vs. the permanent mark on history he leaves the longer he lingers. My costs-benefits analysis on that one has Trump leaving way the fuck before he does because he's a narcissist but he's running the same equation.
Man, hadn't considered his ego getting in the way like that. He is like a two-year old in so many ways. Maybe we can hope his huge ego allows him to accept some silly narrative where at least he believes the only the mighty Trump will have the cojones to step aside. Some sort of "The Emperors New Clothes" scenario.