North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R) avoided answering a question on Sunday’s “State of the Union” about whether he’s concerned about potential political violence if former President Trump loses the presidential election in November.
Host Jake Tapper pressed Burgum about Trump’s recent statement to Time magazine, in which he said, “It depends,” when asked about possible violence if he doesn’t win. Instead of addressing the question, Burgum discussed previous contested elections and emphasized the importance of securing elections to ensure confidence.
Doug Burgum (Credits: Bloomberg)
Tapper reiterated his question, but Burgum didn’t directly answer, instead focusing on the need for both parties to work together to ensure the integrity of elections.
He stated, “I’m looking forward to next January when Vice President Harris certifies the election for Donald Trump… We’ve got to make sure that every county, every precinct is beyond reproach, that everybody can be confident in our country.”
Doug Burgum (Credits: NPR)
Burgum’s evasion of the question raised concerns about his willingness to address potential political violence, particularly given Trump’s ambiguous statement.
Trump initially told Time magazine he expected to win, and that there would be no violence, but later said, “It depends” when pressed further, suggesting he might not accept the outcome if he loses.
