Trump refuses to grant election ‘very disappointing’, says Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that it is “very, very disappointing” that US President Donald Trump still refuses to grant the 2020 election.

Joe Biden swept the victory in November with more than 80 million votes and took the all-important electoral college by a margin of 306-232.

But less than a month before Biden takes office, the incumbent still refuses to acknowledge the outcome of what he called a “rigged election.”

The Taoiseach said he believes Trump will eventually give in, but that his refusal to do so is setting a bad example for young people.

He said: “It’s very, very disappointing. I think it will concede. I think maybe there is an agenda going, a political agenda, regarding American politics and people are already thinking about the next election, in terms of the argumentation that is going on right now.

“But I think that, in any democracy, one must, of course, accept the results of the elections.”

It is important for the younger generation to see that the transfer of power is honorable.

Mr. Martin added: “It is important for the younger generations to see that the transfer of power is honorable and that it reflects the enduring nature of our parliamentary democracies.

“I think of our own government in ’32, when the Fianna Fáil was in power and the smooth transition of the Fianna Fáil that people at the time thought might not have happened. That has been a very strong position in our system.

“I think it is an example for the young of the older generations that this should be the case, in relation to the transfer of power.”

He continued: “We have great examples in democracies of losing candidate speeches.

“In the previous presidential elections everyone was very nice. They want to recognize the primacy of the ballot box, despite very close elections.

“I think that’s the spirit in which this should also be handled. But I really don’t think there is a danger to American democracy. “

I had a warm and engaging call with the president-elect of the United States. @Joe Biden He brings tremendous knowledge and understanding to his new role and has a great love for his Irish heritage. He highlighted his commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and we talked about the importance of multilateralism.

– Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) November 10, 2020

Martin has praised the president-elect since his victory in November, describing him as a “friend of Ireland.”

He summed up his belief that Biden will be a key ally for years to come.

“He has genuine affection for the country and is a multilateralist at heart. He wants to reestablish the relationship with the European Union, ”he said.

“You made it very clear to me the first day that you want to rejoin the Paris Agreement, that you want to rejoin the WHO.

“And he is a friend of Ireland, in terms of trade, which does not want anything in the context of Brexit that undermines the Good Friday Agreement.

“I think it will be a very interesting year from a political perspective, in terms of re-establishing relations with Europe and hopefully the UK.

“Basically marrying the alliance between the US, Europe and the UK, which after all, despite their differences, have common values ​​in terms of democracy, freedom of speech and all that.”

Martin did not say whether the traditional St. Patrick’s Day visit to the White House will continue in 2021, as it will depend on the status of the coronavirus.

He said: “It will depend a lot on the status of Covid in the United States, internationally and Ireland.

“When I invited President Biden to Ireland, he said, ‘Try to keep me out.’ I thought it was interesting. “

He added: “Yes, I would love to be able to get to Washington DC on St. Patrick’s Day, but we will have to see where we are in terms of where Covid is.”