Taking press questions for the first time since Election Day, President Donald Trump snapped at an interrupting Reuters reporter who demanded that he answers whether he would concede the election to the mainstream media’s presumptive president-elect Joe Biden or not.
“Don’t talk to me that way. You’re just a lightweight. I’m the president of the United States. Don’t ever talk to the president that way,” Trump rebuked Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason over his tone on Thursday.
At the outset of the fiery dialogue, Trump acknowledged that it would be a “very hard thing to concede” to Biden “because we know there was massive fraud,” but he noted he would leave the Oval Office in January if the Electoral College voted for the Democratic challenger on Dec. 14 and formalized the victory.
After Trump talked to troops around the world—one of his Thanksgiving traditions—the heated exchange at the White House briefing ignited when Mason pressed: “Sir, just to be clear, if the Electoral College votes for Joe Biden, will you concede?”
Donald Trump admitted it was a "very hard thing to concede" electoral defeat but committed to leaving the White House if the Electoral College votes for Joe Biden.
Read more: https://t.co/mJFjs8LoLt pic.twitter.com/wmi9NdSURV
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 27, 2020
“Well, if they do, they made a mistake, because this election was a fraud, just so you understand,” the president fired back, citing Biden’s numbers reportedly beating former President Barack Obama’s turnout in swing states.
“And yet he’s losing to Obama all over the place,” Trump added.
Mason continued to interject, but Trump talked over the correspondent. “So no, I can’t say that at all. I think it’s a possibility. They tried to—Look, between you people,” Trump continued before Mason’s question grew louder.
Trump says if the Electoral College votes for Biden it would be a mistake, but says he will leave the White House if it does
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) November 26, 2020
Then Trump called on another reporter to diffuse the tension. “So if the Electoral College does elect President-Elect Joe Biden, are you not going to leave this building?” the responding reporter volleyed.
Story cited here.