It was during a press conference in the White House that Donald Trump was asked if he can guarantee a peaceful transfer of power in the event of a possible election loss.
The question was asked, among other things, in connection with the many - in several cases violent - demonstrations that have shaken the United States in recent months.
"We will see what happens, I have been very critical of postal votes, postal votes are a disaster," Trump replied.
When reporter Brian Karem from Playboy once again asked the question of whether Trump can still guarantee a peaceful transfer of power, the president once again answered in the negative.
- If we get rid of the postal votes, we will have a peaceful ... then we will not have a transfer of power but a continuation, Trump replied.
Strong reactions
Trump's non-response, or unwillingness to clearly commit to a peaceful transfer of power, has generated strong reactions in the United States.
When asked by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden what he thought of the statement, he replied rhetorically:
- What country are we in?
He says the most irrational things.
Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who has certainly profiled himself as a Trump critic within the party, wrote on Twitter that a peaceful transfer of power is a fundamental element of a democracy.
"Without it, we have Belarus," he continues.
Later on Wednesday, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell also posted a post on Twitter assuring that the winner of the election will be sworn in as president with the addition:
"The transition will take place in an orderly manner, as has happened every four years since 1792."
"Amazing statement"
SVT's US correspondent Stefan Åsberg describes Trump's statement as astonishing.
- It can be interpreted as meaning that he will not accept a possible election loss.
A likely scenario in the election is that the majority of Trump's voters will vote at the polls, while a significantly higher proportion of Joe Biden's supporters will use postal votes.
- It could lead to a situation where Donald Trump declares himself the winner on the evening of November 3, despite the fact that many postal votes remain to be counted and it could trigger a chaotic situation in this tense country, says Stefan Åsberg.