A small step for Trump, a big step for the United States.
The American president declared this Thursday, for the first time, that he would leave the White House if the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election of November 3 is confirmed, taking a further step towards the recognition of his defeat.
Donald Trump had just presented his wishes to the armed forces for the great American Thanksgiving holiday when he was arrested by reporters.
Is he ready to formally admit defeat if the college of grand voters confirms Democrat Joe Biden will be the next US president?
"It will be something very difficult to accept, because we know there has been massive fraud," he replied.
Will he then leave the White House on January 20, the day of the swearing-in of the next President of the United States?
“Of course I will.
And you know it, ”he replied half-heartedly.
The electoral infrastructure worthy of a "third world country"
These words, in the mouth of Donald Trump, are important, because his refusal to admit the victory of his opponent is unique in the history of the country.
Even if the handover between him and Joe Biden at the beginning of next year was no longer in doubt.
The College of Grand Voters will meet on December 14 to officially designate the winner of the election.
It should be a formality.
"I think that a lot of things will happen by January 20," also insisted on advancing the outgoing president.
Yet so far all of the legal remedies he has brought have failed.
And the key states of this election, one after the other, certify the results.
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Donald Trump again affirmed Thursday that the electoral infrastructure of the United States was that of "a third world country".
But he has offered no evidence or concrete evidence to support his accusations of cheating on Democrats.
He also announced that he would travel to Georgia on December 5, where the election of two senators in January will determine the majority in the upper chamber.
Joe Biden, former vice-president of Barack Obama, won 306 voters against 232 for Donald Trump.
He built his victory by tearing up several old Democratic strongholds conquered in 2016 by Donald Trump, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Biden doesn't waste a minute
Already last Monday, Donald Trump was forced to give the green light to the launch of the transition process between his administration and that of the president-elect.
Joe Biden now has access to files, funding and receives briefings from US intelligence services.
The Democrat can also view information regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and the progress of the various vaccine projects.
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The much-criticized management of the health crisis in the last months of a tumultuous presidency played a key role in Donald Trump's electoral defeat.
The pandemic has claimed more than 260,000 lives in the United States, the heaviest toll in the world.
Without delay, Joe Biden, 78, also began to prepare for his arrival at the White House, by announcing the first appointments of his future government.
Several personalities who served under Barack Obama will be part of it, such as Antony Blinken, future head of diplomacy.
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Antony Blinken, a friend of France as US Secretary of State
Former Secretary of State John Kerry, 76, will also return to Washington as the president's special climate envoy, a sign of the importance Joe Biden attaches to this issue.
The president-elect is due to announce next week who will be part of his economic team.
Janet Yellen, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, the US central bank, is expected to be appointed Secretary of the Treasury.