White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
(CNSNews.com) – President Donald Trump “will accept the results of a free and fair election,” but Democrats have said they won’t accept the election results if Trump wins, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday.
“The president will accept the results of a free and fair election, but I think that your question is more fitting to be asked of Democrats who have already been on the record saying they won’t accept the results of an election. In fact, I have several of them here for you. South Carolina Democrat Jim Clyburn had said that Trump is not going to win fairly,” McEnany said.
“Senator Barbara Boxer has said that the only way Trump will win is to steal it. That’s according to Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer. The Washington Post has noted, they have a headline: ‘Democrats May Not Accept Results of the Election If Trump Wins,’” she added.
“Then you have that beautiful quote from Hillary Clinton that Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstance. So I think your question is more fitting for Democrats,” the press secretary said.
ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl had asked McEnany to clarify whether she could assure the public that there will be a peaceful transfer of power if the president loses.
MCENANY: You are referring to the question asked by the Playboy reporter, right?”
KARL: I’m referring to the president being asked if there would be a peaceful transfer of power and he did not say yes. So I’m asking Will there be a peaceful transfer of power if he loses.
MCENANY: I believe that question asked by the Playboy reporter. I think I have it right here. He was asked, win, lose, or draw, whether he would accept the transfer of power. I’m not entirely sure if he won why he would accept a transfer of power. That is maybe the deranged wish of that reporter, but that’s not how governing works.
KARL: Brian asked a simple question — if the president loses this election, will this president assure us that there will be a peaceful transfer of power? It’s a very simple question.
MCENANY: The president will accept the results of a free and fair election, but I think that your question is more fitting to be asked of Democrats who have already been on the record saying they won’t accept the results of an election. In fact, I have several of them here for you. South Carolina Democrat Jim Clyburn had said that Trump is not going to win fairly.
Senator Barbara Boxer has said that the only way Trump will win is to steal it. That’s according to Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer. The Washington Post has noted, they have a headline: ‘Democrats May Not Accept Results of the Election If Trump Wins.’ Then you have that beautiful quote from Hillary Clinton that Joe Biden should not concede under any circumstance. So I think your question is more fitting for Democrats.
NBC NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT PETER ALEXANDER: Just to understand this clearly, are the results legitimate only if the president wins?
MCENANY: The president will accept the results of a free and fair election. He will accept the will of the American people.
ALEXANDER: So for clarity, if he loses, and it’s free and fair he will accept it.
MCENANY: I’ve answered your question. He will accept the results of a free and fair election.
At a White House press briefing on Wednesday, White House Correspondent for Playboy Brian Karem asked the president, “Win, lose, or draw in this election, will you commit here, today, for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?”
TRUMP: “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. And — and —
KAREM: I understand that, but people are rioting. Do you commit to making sure that —
TRUMP: Oh, I know. I know. Yeah, no, we want —
KAREM: — there’s a peaceful transferal of power?
TRUMP: We want to have — get rid of the ballots, and you’ll have a very trans- — we’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly; there’ll be a continuation.
The ballots are out of control. You know it, and you know who knows it better than —KAREM: No, sir. I don’t know that.
TRUMP: — anybody else? The Democrats know it better than anybody else.
