Just three days before election day, former President Donald Trump said at a rally in Pennsylvania on Sunday that he “never should’ve left” the White House after he lost the 2020 election, adding darkly that he “wouldn’t mind” if reporters were shot.
Speaking from the battleground state, anticipated to be crucial in deciding Tuesday’s results, Trump reminded undecided voters of what has defined his past campaigns: violence and a refusal to adhere to the democratic process.
“I shouldn’t have left, I mean honestly, we did so well, we had such a great —,” the 78-year-old said before cutting himself off. It was a stark and bold admission given his previous refusal to cede power led to an attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump has repeatedly suggested he will claim victory regardless of this year's election results.
“If everything’s honest, I’ll gladly accept the results. I don’t change on that. If it’s not, you have to fight for the right of the country,” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in May.
On Sunday, the former president couldn’t resist bringing up 2020 again, calling Democrats "demonic" and falsely blaming fraud for his previous loss. He brought up a wealth of debunked conspiracies from four years ago and speculated on how this year’s election would be similarly sabotaged, including that voting machines would be hacked and extended poll hours would lead to fraud.
Towards the end of the rally, Trump criticized a number of polls, most notably a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll that showed him trailing Vice President Kamala Harris in Iowa.
He concluded his speech by attacking the media, suggesting he would be okay if reporters were killed in an attempt on his own life.
“To get to me, somebody would have to shoot through fake news, and I don’t mind that much, because, I don’t mind. I don’t mind,” Trump said.
