Trump won't commit to peaceful transfer of power

When asked by a reporter on Wednesday to commit to a peaceful transition of power should he not be re-elected in November, President Trump refused, saying, "Well, we're going to have to see what happens."

More people are expected to use mail-in ballots in the general election because of the coronavirus pandemic, and Trump has repeatedly made baseless claims that this will lead to voter fraud designed to hurt him. On Wednesday, Trump said the ballots are "a disaster. Get rid of the ballots and you'll have a very — we'll have a very peaceful, there won't be a transfer, frankly. There'll be a continuation. The ballots are out of control."

Trump won't commit to peaceful transfer of power - YouTube

Watch On

This isn't the first time Trump has hinted he won't accept the election results, and he is also prone to suggesting he will serve more than two terms in office. The Atlantic reported on Wednesday that Trump's campaign is discussing "contingency plans to bypass election results" should Trump lose in November, including appointing "loyal electors in battleground states where Republicans hold the legislative majority."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up