Trump refuses to commit to a peaceful transfer of power

Yahoo Finance’s Jessica Smith joins the On the Move panel to discuss the latest on President Trump and his response if he loses the election and the transition of power.

Video Transcript

- First, we do want to talk about those comments from President Trump. Because they're causing a ripple effect, at least among market, uh, participants, even if we're not seeing a hit to stocks today. This all happened after a reporter yesterday asked President Trump if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power. He said, we'll have to see what happens. And for more on his comments and the reaction, we're joined by our Jessica Smith, who covers DC for us. Jess?

JESSICA SMITH: Well, Speaker Pelosi just talked about this to reporters in the past hour or so. And a reporter did ask her if the House should take any formal steps, like a censure or a resolution, in response to these comments from President Trump. But she said that she doesn't think he's worth the trouble, at this point. She just urged people to get out and vote.

Now, President Trump has raised some doubts over whether he'd accept the results of the elections in the past. He has railed against mail-in voting repeatedly. But now, as you mentioned, he is refusing to commit to accepting this peaceful transition of power, should he lose in November. Let's get right to the video of what he actually said when a reporter asked him that question.

DONALD TRUMP: Well, 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, and--

- I understand that, but people are rioting.

DONALD TRUMP: Oh I know, I know.

- Do you commit to making sure that there's a peaceful transfer of power.

DONALD TRUMP: No, no we want to have, get rid of the ballots, and you'll have a very transfer-- we'll have a very peaceful-- there won't be a transfer, frankly. There'll be a continuation.

JESSICA SMITH: Now, Democratic lawmakers and critics are sounding the alarm on these comments. Congressman Adam Schiff said in a tweet, this is how democracy dies, a president so desperate to cling to power that he won't commit to a peaceful transition of power. But we will fight back, America belongs to the people.

We have seen some Republicans push back, as well. Senator Mitt Romney called the-- a president not respecting a peaceful transition unthinkable and unacceptable. We have heard from a few other Republicans, like, uh, majority leader Mitch McConnell. They haven't mentioned President Trump by name, but they are saying that there will be a peaceful transition in January, no matter what happens

President Trump has also said that he expects the election results to end up before the Supreme Court, and that is also raising more concerns as President Trump and Republicans try and fill this vacancy on the Supreme Court quickly-- before the election, potentially.