Trump, Still Defiant, Says He’ll Give Up Power If Electoral College Backs Biden
- Signals he may never formally concede, may skip inauguration
- Trump says will leave White House if Biden affirmed as winner
President Donald Trump said he’ll relinquish power if the Electoral College affirms Joe Biden’s win, but he signaled he may never formally concede defeat, and may skip the Democrat’s inauguration.
Trump fielded questions from reporters on Thursday for the first time since his election defeat, speaking at the White House after a Thanksgiving teleconference with members of the military.
He rehashed for about 25 minutes a series of fraud allegations his legal team has made publicly but has not substantiated with evidence or argued in court appearances, where there are penalties for lying. Trump said flatly that Biden couldn’t have received 80 million votes from the American people.
The defiant and occasionally conspiratorial exchange in the White House’s Diplomatic Room included a brief acknowledgement of the reality facing him. When Trump was asked if he’d physically leave the building if the Electoral College affirms Biden’s victory, he replied, “certainly I will, and you know that.”
He swiftly returned, though, to unloading a series of attacks and criticizing the election -- including calling Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, an “enemy of the people.” Raffensperger certified Trump’s defeat in the state last week after a recount of the presidential vote.