On Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denied that President-elect Joe Biden won the 2020 election and promised a “smooth transition” to a second term under President Donald Trump.
When asked by reporters if the Trump administration is working with Biden’s transition team, he replied that “there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration” and that the “world is watching.”
“We’re going to count all the votes. When the process is complete there’ll be electors selected. There’s a process; the Constitution lays it out pretty clearly,” he said. “The world should have every confidence that the transition necessary to make sure that the State Department is functional today, successful today, and successful with the president who’s in office on January 20th … will also be successful.”
All major media outlets projected Biden the winner of the election on Saturday. President Trump and his allies have so far refused to accept the results and the president has vowed continued legal action. Meanwhile, Biden gave a speech Saturday calling for unity and has been creating task forces to aid in the transition and combat the COVID-19 crisis.
Reactions to the comments online were harsh.
“Secretary Pompeo is dismissing the results of our own nation’s fair & free elections,” wrote Rep. Abigail Spanberger. “This is shameful and dangerous. Secretary Pompeo is imperiling our country’s global leadership, and the validity of America’s long-held commitment to promoting democracy the world over.”