‘There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration’: Mike Pompeo

Top world leaders including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden for his victory and pledged to work together, however, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on the other hand, insisted that President Donald Trump will remain in power for a second term.

Pompeo, Trump’s close aide, made clear that Trump’s stance was official government policy as he pushed aside a question on whether he was cooperating with the Biden transition team.

Also read: ‘He is 100% within his rights’: Mitch McConnell on Donald Trump’s legal actions

“There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration,” Pompeo said in a news conference on Tuesday.

He said that “the world should have every confidence” in the functioning of the US government in the run-up and after the January 20 inauguration.

Asked if the US will still release statements suggesting free elections around the world, Pompeo called the question “ridiculous” and said the US was following formal procedures.

Also read: Russian Election chief echoes Donald Trump, casts doubts over mail-in voting

Later, speaking to Fox News, Pompeo commented on the congratulatory calls from world leaders to Biden. “If it’s just saying ‘hi’, I suppose that’s not too terribly difficult,” he said.

“But make no mistake about it, we have one president, one secretary of state, one national security team at a time,” he added.

At the news conference, Pompeo made his first public comment on the election outcome.