Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday advanced an effort to undermine democracy and the will of the people in the United States, by rebuffing the legitimate win of President-elect Joe Biden and suggested that “there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration.”
The comments at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, come after Attorney General Bill Barr on Monday issued a Trump-friendly memo that will allow for investigations into unfounded allegations of election fraud in the 2020 presidential race, a move that follows a days-long refusal by President Trump to concede in an election that he lost when media outlets on Saturday announced President-elect Joe Biden as the projected winner.
Sec. of State Pompeo outright denies the election results: ‘There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration’ pic.twitter.com/ZWlBTxWjkh
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) November 10, 2020
Pompeo brusquely dismissed a reporter question about whether President Trump’s refusal to concede election loss undermines efforts by the United States to promote free and fair elections around the world.
“That’s ridiculous, and you know it’s ridiculous, and you asked it because it’s ridiculous,” Pompeo said in an apparent effort to make a mockery of those who imply Trump is wrong to cast doubt over the outcome of an election that had a clear winner and no evidence of the kind of voter fraud that he has played up for months.
“You asked a question that is ridiculous,” Pompeo said again. “This department cares deeply to make sure that elections around the world are safe and secure and free and fair and my officers risk their lives to ensure that that happens.”
Pompeo’s move to call Trump’s efforts to delegitimize U.S. election results “totally appropriate” is ironic after the State Department just last week issued a statement condemning similar efforts in Côte d’Ivoire. The U.S. Embassy in the West African nation called on local leaders to “create a climate of confidence capable of guaranteeing peace and stability” as doubts crept up locally about the legitimacy of results in the country’s own presidential election.
“The United State calls on Côte d’Ivoire’s leaders to show commitment to the democratic process and the rule of law,” the U.S. embassy’s statement said.
Read the full statement below:
U.S. Embassy Statement on Côte d’Ivoire’s Presidential Election pic.twitter.com/21UWgg1oTR
— U.S. Embassy Abidjan (@USEmbAbidjan) November 4, 2020