Trump: I will leave office if the Electoral College confirms Biden's victory

(Patria) – US President Donald Trump said at a Thanksgiving reception that he will leave the White House if the Electoral College confirms Joseph Biden's victory – although he still considers such a decision to be a 'mistake'.

"I will certainly. But you already know that," Trump replied when asked if he intended to leave office and thus allow for a peaceful transfer of power.

However, Trump, answering questions for the first time since election day, suggested that "many things" could still happen before then that could change the outcome.  

Over the past three weeks, Trump has been trying to prove claims that the election was 'rigged' with his legal team. At the Thanksgiving reception, he reiterated his condemnation of officials in Georgia and Pennsylvania who helped Biden win.

Despite the election result, Trump claims this may not be his last Thanksgiving in the White House. He still insists it was a 'massive fraud', although relevant state officials and international observers have stated that there is no evidence of such a thing.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has given the green light for the formal transfer of power to begin, although Trump himself is unhappy with Biden's first presidential moves.

"I don't think it's right for him (already) to try to choose cabinet members," Trump commented, although his team is still cooperating with Biden's to speed up the transition.

Regarding the Electoral College, Trump made it clear that he has no intention of formally admitting defeat, although he said he would leave the White House.

"It will be very difficult to admit defeat. Because we know it was a big fraud," he commented, noting that "time is not on our side".

When asked if he would attend Biden's inauguration, Trump said he already knew the answer to that question, but did not want to share it publicly.

He told reporters present at the reception not to credit Biden for the coronavirus vaccine because he "stands behind the vaccines, and I have advocated for them more than anyone else".

When asked if he planned to run in 2024, Trump said he still "doesn't want to talk about 2024".

All US federal states are required to certify the election results before the Electoral College meeting scheduled for December 14, and any dispute regarding the results must be resolved by December 8.

States have already begun the certification process, which is usually a ministerial task at the local and state level that does not attract much attention; this time it is different because Trump has challenged the election result, Euronews reports.