Donald Trump's secretary of state, Mike Pompeo sparked outrage and horror on Tuesday after he said that there would be a 'smooth transition to a second Trump administration.'
Pompeo was taking questions from the press and was asked if the State Department had begun their transition period and if they were working with president-elect Biden's team.
The 56-year-old appeared to chuckle to himself and hinted at the baseless claims of voter fraud, saying:
There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration. All right? We’re ready. The world is watching what’s taking place here. We’re going to count all the votes. When the process is complete, there’ll be elector selected. There’s a process. The Constitution lays it out pretty clearly. 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 a minute after noon will also be successful.
Many Republicans and White House officials are yet to acknowledge that Biden won the election despite numerous news outlets projecting the Democrat as the president-elect. Whether Pompeo was being serious in his remark or not remains to be seen but his comments pleased Trump who shared a video of the quote adding that this was the reason why Pompeo was 'number on in his class at West Point.'
However, not everyone was impressed with what Pompeo said. CNN's Jim Acosta compared Pompeo's comments to the former Iraqi diplomat and aide to Saddam Hussein, Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf also known as 'Baghdad Bob.'
You had Pompeo saying they’re going to ‘make a smooth transition to a second Trump administration. It is extraordinary to hear the secretary of state sounding like Baghdad Bob at this point and President Trump is Saddam Hussein.
Elsewhere, Stephen Colbert called Pompeo's comments 'dangerous' during his monologue on the latest episode of The Late Show.
Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton, who has since become a critic of the president, wasn't happy with what Pompeo had to say either. He told CNN:
He has eviscerated his credibility internationally because I think there are very few people, even in the US government who believe that’s the case. I don’t know why he had to have that briefing and I don’t know why he felt he needed to make that statement, maybe other than to avoid being fired like others are being throughout the administration. But it’s delusional.
Elsewhere, Pompeo's comments drew severe criticism on social media with many likening it to the language used during a 'coup.'
This is really, really dangerous stuff. An absolute stain on our democracy. https://t.co/T4uQjZYWRl— Michael Skolnik (@Michael Skolnik) 1605034960
This is a grotesque, dangerous signal to every international relationship we have that there isn't a peaceful trans… https://t.co/wiSHpRMiFc— Eric Garland (@Eric Garland) 1605033785
Pompeo: "There will be a smooth transition to a Second Trump administration." There are two lies in that sentence. https://t.co/OelxHIwogA— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) 1605035014
Biden won the popular vote. Biden won the electoral college. Every vote was counted. No illegitimate votes were co… https://t.co/2rwlqPCazC— Sarah Silverman (@Sarah Silverman) 1605034309
Secretary Pompeo’s job is to call out authoritarian behavior abroad but his comments today made a mockery of our ow… https://t.co/YypfW3rVib— Mark Takano (@Mark Takano) 1605062784
This is a deeply irresponsible statement from a secretary of state. https://t.co/5yuGwiCiqJ— Justin Amash (@Justin Amash) 1605057975
This is stunning and dangerous. Trump and his cronies continue to be a threat to our democracy. I know we are all f… https://t.co/0WRG1saxLE— Meena Harris (@Meena Harris) 1605043480
Perhaps someone can tell me the difference between @SecPompeo and @NicolasMaduro https://t.co/JEyMIwPn63— Michael Reid (@Michael Reid) 1605041636
If our own Secretary of State can’t even adhere to the principle of free and fair elections HERE, why would any OTH… https://t.co/q1yB7NSHDy— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1605041542
Does @WestPoint_USMA have anything to say about the utterly disgraceful behavior of one of its most public graduate… https://t.co/yEeP1GxwYr— Asha Rangappa (@Asha Rangappa) 1605041128
Pompeo notes the world is watching. It’s true. And what they are seeing is a careless, foolish, and anti-democrat… https://t.co/TKnErvawTl— Rep. Ted Deutch (@Rep. Ted Deutch) 1605035890
Senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren echoed many of these sentiments, adding that a 'peaceful transition of power is a cornerstone of our democracy.'
This isn’t just delusional—it’s dangerous. The peaceful transition of power is a cornerstone of our democracy.… https://t.co/8zhLsbfVXH— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren) 1605040486
Her fellow presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg didn't directly acknowledge what Pompeo had said but did say that he was looking forward to January 20, when Biden will be sworn into office.
More than ever, I'm looking forward to January 20, 2021.— Pete Buttigieg (@Pete Buttigieg) 1605054607
Biden himself didn't resort to name-calling but did give his thoughts on Pompeo's comments. Speaking during a press conference on the Affordable Care Act, the president-elect dismissed the baseless accusations of fraud and literally laughed at what the secretary of state had said.
President-elect Joe Biden doesn't take the bait and instead laughs at Pompeo https://t.co/5iuSybdtrI— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch.com) 1605038130
Given what we've already seen from the Trump team, this is unlikely to be the last time that we hear comments of this nature during the next two months.
More: What Trump acting like a 6-year-old and refusing to concede will mean for Biden's transition​