Donald Trump, as a candidate for president in 2016, famously boasted that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and wouldn’t lose any of his voters. And who knows what would happen if he actually did. While it would seem that the president is above the law, they are expected to follow laws just like the rest of us. Meaning, they aren’t allowed to break laws and are charged for breaking the law like any other average citizen. Keep in mind, being charged with a crime and actually facing punishment aren’t the same thing.
If a sitting president violates the law during their term in office, Congress deals with the situation as they see fit. The House of Representatives can act to impeach a president while the Senate can have the president taken to court, just like any other citizen.
The Social Media Issue
In a time where children are growing up on social media, the many restrictions placed on first children can be very taxing. During Obama's presidency, Sasha and Malia Obama were not allowed to open Twitter accounts and they had very limited access to Facebook. Although it's surely an honor to be a part of the first family, it can be hard for children to be isolated from doing what other kids are doing. Dr. Jim Ronan, author, and professor of political science at Villanova University listed another setback that former presidents have discussed and that's missing out on their children's school events and hobbies. The amount of security that would need to be present at such events would be overwhelming. For this reason, some presidents’ children attended school right in the White House (complete with a classroom and a playground).
Conveniently enough, Michelle Obama isn't such a fan of social media for young children anyways. She shared “I still am not a big believer in Facebook for young people … particularly for them, because they’re in the public eye. Some of it’s stuff they don’t need to see and be a part of … So we try to protect them from too much of the public voice." Another interesting word on social media; it was recently reported that the president cannot block people on social media as it goes against the First Amendment.
Earning Some Extra Money
Everybody likes to earn a little extra cash, right? Well, while the president earns a hefty $400,000 per year, he's forbidden from earning more money outside of his salary. So, don't expect to be seeing the president moonlighting anytime soon.
If the president owns a business prior to taking office, they must take a hands-off approach to how it is run. Meaning, they must leave the business in somebody else's hands. If they have investments (which almost every president does) it must go into a blind trust during their time in service.
Every day is Planned
When you're the president of the United States, your days are planned right down to the minute. You're lucky if you're able to squeeze in something that wasn't on the schedule. And anyway, even if you had some extra time, the secret service probably won't allow you, unless you give them a heads up of about four hours.
President Obama once attempted to organize an impromptu basketball game. However, his attempt failed as he didn't let the secret service know enough ahead of time. The secret service requires enough time to make sure that there is zero threat to the president's life.
Planning the Presidential Funeral
Have you planned for your funeral yet? As morbid sounding as that is, this is one of the president's first responsibilities soon after taking office; they must plan for their funeral. “It may sound shocking, but during the first week of moving into the White House, the president is asked to plan his or her funeral should anything occur during their presidency,” George W. Bush’s deputy assistant said.
A president's funeral is a length five-day event that is full of choreographed ceremonies. Out of the 45 presidents who have served the United States, eight of them have died while in office. Four of them were assassinated. Assuming the position as the leader of the free world makes you a target for a lot of hate, and along with that, people who are willing to sacrifice their own lives to take you down. The White House Historical Association said “It is a cold realization that greets a new president at the White House door. In many ways, funeral services are [a] final conversation with the nation, and illustrate something about the man and the way in which he wishes to be remembered,” adding that Ford needed to be convinced to include certain elements in his funeral.