WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump refused to commit to facilitate a peaceful transition of power after the presidential election outcome is declared.
At a White House news conference on Wednesday, Trump was asked, 'Win, lose, or draw in this election, will you commit here, today, for a peaceful transferal of power after the election.'
'Well, we're going to have to see what happens. You know that. I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots. And the ballots are a disaster,' he replied.
'There won't be a transfer, frankly; there'll be a continuation,' Trump told reporters subsequently.
While many states are in support of mail-in voting over coronavirus concerns, Trump repeatedly cast doubt on postal voting.
Media reports say that this is an indication that he may not relinquish his office in case he loses in the November election.
Sen. Mitt Romney, who criticizes Trump despite being a Republican, said, 'Fundamental to democracy is the peaceful transition of power; without that, there is Belarus.'
'Any suggestion that a president might not respect this Constitutional guarantee is both unthinkable and unacceptable,' he tweeted.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden described Trump's remarks as 'irrational.'
Trump was trailing Biden in recent national polls.
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