Quote Originally Posted by Thekri View Post
So the actual legal ability to do so would be a subject of great debate. Below is the only actual legal framework directly addressing the presidency, this from Section 4, Article II of the constitution.
Now, there is over two centuries of precedent of what exactly the President is immune too while being in office. The general consensus is that he cannot be charged in any criminal court until duly impeached by Congress. (Which process is described in Article I, but it doesn't detail anything other then the process). As such an arrest would be very tricky legally, since you can't actually charge him with anything. That said, the president is explicitly NOT immune to the law, and in the event of clear illegal activity, the secret service would certainly assist whatever law enforcement agency did choose to detain him. I am almost certain they would not do it themselves though. The most likely result of something really flagrant would be detention by the FBI and the temporary assumption of the Office by the Vice President while Congress conducted the impeachment. It would probably have to be something on the lines of ordering an unprovoked Nuclear attack on Great Britain or Puerto Rico because somebody insulted him though.
I agree - great summary, too.

Regarding flagrant violations - I wasn't thinking of large ones like nuking, but more along the lines of him making a run for it on Air Force One. Not likely, of course, but if it ever happened.