Former President Jimmy Carter said President Donald Trump is an illegitimate president who lost the 2016 election but became president because of Russia.
Carter made the remarks during a joint interview Friday with his Vice President Walter Mondale conducted by Jon Meachman that was posted by C-SPAN.
“If fully investigated, it would show that Trump didn’t actually win the election in 2016. He lost the election and he was put in office because the Russians interfered …on his behalf.”
Former President Jimmy Carter: If fully investigated, it would show that Trump didn't actually win the election in 2016. He lost the election and he was put in office because the Russians interfered …on his behalf.
🎥 https://t.co/CYSBIK3qHF pic.twitter.com/o71Z4InVxB— CSPAN (@cspan) June 28, 2019
Meacham: “Russia has been proven by our intelligence community to have interfered with one of our human rights, which is the of right free and fair elections. What’s your reaction? How should we deal with Russia?”
Carter: “Well, the President himself should condemn it, admit that it happened. Which I think sixteen of intelligence agencies have already agreed to say. And, uh, there’s no doubt that the Russians did interfere in the election. And I think the interference, although not yet quantified, uh, if fully investigated would show that Trump didn’t actually win the election in two-thousand-sixteen. He lost the election and he was put into office because the Russians interfered–on his behalf.”
Meahcham: “So do you believe President Trump is an illegitimate president?”
Carter: “Based on what I just said, which I can’t retract, (laughs) yes.”
Back in April, NPR reported Trump spoke on the phone with Carter about China policy after Carter wrote to Trump:
(Excerpt)…Earlier this year, Carter sent Trump a letter with some advice about managing the U.S.-China relationship. Carter oversaw the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries 40 years ago.
On Saturday evening, Trump called Carter to talk about it. It was the first time they’d spoken, Carter said. He said Trump told him that he is particularly concerned about how China is “getting ahead of us.”
Carter said he agreed with Trump on this issue.
…The White House confirmed the conversation in a statement released Monday.
“President Jimmy Carter wrote President Trump a beautiful letter about the current negotiations with China and on Saturday they had a very good telephone conversation about President Trump’s stance on trade with China and numerous other topics,” said the statement, which wasn’t attributed to a spokesperson.
