During his press conference yesterday (Nov. 26), Donald Trump said for the first time that he will leave the White House if the Electoral College confirms Joe Biden’s win in December.
“Certainly I will — and you know that,” Trump responded to a reporter.
The Electoral College is expected to declare President-Elect Biden victorious on Dec. 14. Despite saying that he will leave the White House, Trump is still refusing to concede. During the conference, which was his first since the election, he maintained his claims of voter fraud.
“It’s going to be a very hard thing to concede because we know there was massive fraud,” he said. “As to whether or not we can get this apparatus moving quickly — because time isn’t on our side; everything else is on our side. Facts are on our side; this was a massive fraud.”
Trump further alleged that if Biden is declared the winner next month, then the Electoral College will have “made a mistake because this election was a fraud.” After news outlets projected Biden’s victory earlier this month, Trump and his reelection team immediately began a legal campaign to allege ballot fraud and file lawsuits in states with slim voter margins.
However, earlier this week, the General Services Administration said that Trump’s administration was ready to begin the presidential transition process with Biden. The first step arrived with a letter from the GSA and the release of federal funds and services to aid in the transition.
Emily Murphy — Trump’s appointed GSA Administrator — shared a statement about beginning the process.
“As the Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, I have the ability under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, as amended, to make certain post-election resources and services available to assist in the event of a presidential transition,” she wrote.
“I take this role seriously and, because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results, am transmitting this letter today to make those resources and services available to you.”
Still, on Twitter, Trump added that his case for reelection “STRONGLY continues” and said his team is prepared to “keep up the good fight.” But, “in the best interest of our Country,” Trump wrote that he recommended that Murphy begin the transition process.