U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose this year's presidential race, while suggesting that the election will be challenged in the Supreme Court.
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"We're going to have to see what happens," Trump said during a press briefing at the White House when asked if he would make sure there is "a peaceful transferal of power" after the election in November.
He went after mail-in ballots, which many parts of the country have expanded to allow people to vote safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots. And the ballots are a disaster," said Trump, who has claimed that a wider use of mail-in ballots would lead to massive voter fraud, while U.S. election experts and media have argued there is no evidence of meaningful fraud in vote by mail.
The president went on suggesting he would win the election if there is no expansion of mail-in voting.
"Get rid of the ballots and you'll have a very peaceful -- there won't be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation," he added.
During a White House event earlier on Wednesday, Trump said he believes the country's highest court would have to weigh in on the election.
"I think this will end up in the Supreme Court," the president said. "And I think it's very important that we have nine justices."
Trump is considering candidates to fill the seat vacated by the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last week. He will announce the Supreme Court nominee on Saturday and has said he wants a full Senate vote before Election Day.
Republicans, who have a 53-47 advantage in the Senate, appear to have enough votes to confirm the pick that would cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the nine-justice bench.
"I think we should go very quickly. You see the Republicans are very united," Trump said. "I think it's better if you go before the election because I think this — this scam that the Democrats are pulling — it's a scam — this scam will be before the U.S. Supreme Court. And I think having a 4-4 situation is not a good situation."
In 2000, the Supreme Court decided in a disputed recount of votes in Florida with a 5-4 ruling, handing that presidential election to Republican candidate George W. Bush, who won 271 electoral votes, one more than a majority. However, Bush lost the popular vote to Al Gore.