Donald Trump will not commit to a "peaceful transfer of power" if he loses

 

US Presidential Election 2020: Donald Trump said: “Well, we have to see what happens. You know I was complaining so badly about the ballot papers and the ballot was a disaster.”

Washington:

President Donald Trump refused, on Wednesday, to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost the election, stressing that if he did not win, it would be because of voting fraud by mail and not because more Americans voted against him.

There is no evidence of widespread voting fraud by mail.

“Well, we have to see what happens. You know I was complaining badly about the ballot papers and the ballot is a disaster -” Trump began when asked during a White House press conference whether he would guarantee a peaceful transition.

"Get rid of the ballot papers and you will get a very peaceful position, and frankly there will be no transition. There will be continuation," Trump said. "The ballot papers are out of control. You have to realize that. And you know who understands it the most of all of us? The Democrats know that higher than all other people."

The president appears to be referring, as he has done for months, to the dramatic increase in the number of people voting by mail this fall rather than in person amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Trump continues to claim, without evidence, that Democrats support the mail vote widely not for public health reasons but to corrupt or defraud the results.

Trump was previously asked whether he would accept the election results if Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden wins. In response to a question from Chris Wallace of Fox News in July, Trump said, "I have to see. Look, I must see. No, I won't just say yes. I won't say no, and I wasn't the last time either."

His refusal to secure support for a peaceful transfer of power between administrations if he loses this year's elections appears to escalate that threat amid partisan tensions.

In a debate in October 2016 with then Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton who was, in fact, run by Wallace, Trump made similar assurances. He did not say whether he would accept the election results, which he claimed at the time were rigged against him. Trump said, "I'm going to look at it at that time." "I'll keep you in suspense." Until election day morning, Trump had not committed to waiver, saying, "I want to see what happens, you know, how it goes."

Earlier Wednesday, Trump also sought to sow doubts about the election results, predicting that the winner's decision would ultimately go to the Supreme Court.

He said that is why it is so urgent that his candidate to replace the late Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg sits before the election.