“We’re going to have to see what happens.”
US President Donald Trump has failed to commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the event that he loses the upcoming presidential election.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Trump was asked by a reporter: “Win, lose or draw in this election, will you commit here today for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?”
Before Trump answered the question, the reporter referred to multiple incidents of rioting in US cities in recent months, including in Louisville on Wednesday after no officers were charged by a grand jury in relation to the death of an unarmed black woman, Breonna Taylor.
“Well, we’re going to have to see what happens,” Trump replied.
“You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster.”
Pressed further about whether he is prepared to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, Trump responded: “Get rid of the ballots and we’ll have a very peaceful… there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation.”
Reporter: "Win, lose or draw in this election, will you commit here today for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?"
President Trump: "We're going to have to see what happens." pic.twitter.com/h5RF3dKPD1
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 23, 2020
Trump has repeatedly criticised the mail-in voting system, claiming during the summer that it will “rig the election”.
Earlier this month, US media outlets including CNN and ABC News published details of an intelligence bulletin, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, warning of the potential for Russia to amplify claims that the mail-in system was fraudulent in an attempt to undermine the integrity of the election.
“We assess that Russia is likely to continue amplifying criticisms of vote-by-mail and shifting voting processes amidst the Covid-19 pandemic to undermine public trust in the electoral process,” the bulletin read.
Speaking to reporters in Delaware, Trump’s rival in the race for the presidency, Joe Biden, who has been leading Trump in recent opinion polls, described his comments as “irrational”.
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