but I think he wants to remain a little longer so he can tie off anything embarrassing or finish some deals.

Sure, Pence may agree to pardon Trump, but once the latter hands in his resignation letter and the former is sworn-in, he has every right to change his mind and Trump can't do a thing about it. And don't think Trump, who has made double-crossing and breaking verbal promises once he gets want he wants a cornerstone of his modus operandi, doesn't realize it full well. In fact, I'm pretty sure he would expect Pence to renege on any deal once Trump has no more leverage. Which is why I'm not only near-certain Trump won't resign, but pretty sure that, should Biden emerge from November's election with 270+ electoral votes, Trump will try to find some way to overturn the outcome (for example, have Republican-controlled state governments where Biden wins the popular vote disregard the results and appoint Trump electors anyway...which, in most states, is perfectly legal) or declare a state of emergency in a bid to hold onto power indefinitely.

conveniently “died” the day he was supposed to testify in an Iran-Contra hearing.

I hope they wouldn't all back someone new.

A single act of treason he can offer in exchange for campaign aid, or single Nazi white supremacist racist he can empower, he will stay.

.

He often fails but he never gives up.

That's the problem with a cult of personality campaign. They're literally some of the least likely to show up for a Romney type candidate in a brokered convention. They'll rail against anyone not their chosen nutcase.

Establishment Republicans know this. I deeply think this rumor is being spread via Anti Trump Republicans. They're baiting him again.

...If he resigns, it will be after the election. He's skimming off of the campaign funds and using the office for his personal gain (not to mention he gets free body guards afterwards...its well reported he eats fast food because of the difficulty in poisoning it...and if he's that scared already, then he's got some serious problems).

Once he loses, then he'll get what he can and resign. And Pence, whose political career is now over since he chained himself to a dead prostitute, will pardon him. From pressure of other rank and file GOP. Investigations can be drawn out for years and hurt the party for years. A quick and fast pardon essentially ends all of that.

Sure there are state investigations, but a Federal pardon will complicate things. Particularly if the crime is not just a state issue but Federal. And if they find a crime with a good separate boundary, it will be tied up for years in appeals and states don't have the resources like the Federal government has. So they'll probably abandon the issue and move on to something that is more of a slam dunk.

Trump and family is going to walk. But they have another problem. The name will be toxic in the business world. Once Trump keels over, it won't surprise me the family becomes adversarial to each other, take their portion.....and sell it off. They will reinvest quietly without the Trump name, become silent partners, etc. Won't surprise me either if one of them loses everything in the end.

Trump built up his brand....and in the end, destroyed it. He has no legacy after this.

...but I have faith they won't walk. Mostly I don't want Trump to walk. But he will resign if he loses. He has never cared about looking like a statesman and he'll walk off the job like Sarah Palin when it is most advantageous to him. He will angle for that pardon and all the loot he can walk away with. I honestly don't think he has the energy to do all the other stuff you are concerned with. He'll find a place to go and we'll never get him...at least that's what I'm afraid of. He and his name will be toxic, but I fear, will remain outside of the grasp of justice. I'm trying to have faith.

but I don't see him facing jail. I just don't.

Everybody in government would fear the precedent it set.

(Unless an individual prosecutor got him.... But not federal charges. He'll be got for laundering money if anything... down the road.)

... but if he gets off with a slap on the wrist simply because he held the office of the presidency, that's like saying, if you want to really crime with immunity, go for the highest office to do it. Because that's what happened. Justice should not reward that method of committing crime. That would be a far more harmful precedent.

It's sad that this is where we are at now.

Here, he has Secret Service protection. I don't know if that would continue if he moved out.

He's likely in debt to Russian mobs, who don't recognize bankruptcy, either chapter 7 or 11. They'd like to have a word with him.

They are worried about themselves.

He will cheat harder to win. He will amp up the voter suppression and stuff the ballot boxes.