A handful of Republicans scolded President Trump for refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose November’s presidential election.
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Steve Stivers of Ohio all responded on social media emphasizing the importance of a “peaceful transition of power” hours after the president’s remarks on Wednesday. None of them, however, invoked his name.
“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,” said Romney, who has long been at odds with the president.
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.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) September 24, 2020
“The peaceful transfer of power is enshrined in our Constitution and fundamental to the survival of our Republic. America’s leaders swear an oath to the Constitution. We will uphold that oath,” said Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House.
At the White House, the president was asked by a reporter if he would “commit here today for a peaceful transferal of power after the November election” during Wednesday’s press briefing. The president didn’t answer affirmatively.
“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,” Trump said, and after pushback from the reporter, added, “Get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation.”
The peaceful transfer of power is enshrined in our Constitution and fundamental to the survival of our Republic. America’s leaders swear an oath to the Constitution. We will uphold that oath.
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) September 24, 2020
Stiver, who is chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, issued a similar condemnation of the president’s comments, but like Romney and Cheney, did so without mentioning Trump by name.
“Nothing defines our Constitutional Republic more than the peaceful transition of power. I’ve taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and I will uphold that oath,” he said. “Regardless of how divided our country is right now, when elections are over and winners are declared, we must all commit ourselves to the Constitution and accept the results.”
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of President Trump’s most ardent supporters in Congress, assured people that Republicans will leave peacefully if he loses to former Vice President Joe Biden in November.
“People wonder about the peaceful transfer of power,” he said during a Thursday morning appearance on Fox & Friends. “I can assure you, it would be peaceful. Now we may have litigation about who won the election, but the court would decide, and if the Republicans lose, we will accept that result.”
This is not the first time Trump has refused to say he’ll accept the results of the election.
In the interview with Fox News’ Chris Wallace over the summer, the president said he would have to wait and see how the election played out when he was asked if he would agree to concede should he lose. “I have to see,” Trump explained. “Look, you — I have to see. No, I’m not going to just say yes. I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last time, either.”
At the time, both his campaign and the White House said Trump would accept the results of the election.
