Watch: Trump Adviser Doubles Down on J.D. Vance’s Worst Debate Answer
During Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance refused to answer a direct question on whether Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called Vance’s response “a damning nonanswer.”
CNN’s Jim Acosta tried to ask the same simple question to Corey Lewandowski, a senior adviser with the Trump campaign, in an interview on Wednesday.
“Yeah Corey, why is this so difficult for the Trump campaign to answer? I mean, it’s 2024,” Acosta said. “Did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election, can you answer that?”
Like Vance, Lewandowski attempted to sidestep actually answering the question.
“Jim, I think it’s very simple,” Lewandowski said. “The American people have passed the 2020 election, and focused on an election which is just under five weeks away.”
“So look, we can go back and relitigate the 2020 election or we can look at what we can do to make America for the everyday Americans who are struggling under Bidenomics—”
“Yeah, but Corey,” Acosta interjected. “It’s not relitigating, it’s just a simple question. Did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election? I mean, that’s easy.”
“Why are we talking about 2020 anymore?” Lewandowski said. “Does the American people care about the 2020 election anymore?”
Acosta pointed out that on the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly claimed that there was “widespread fraud” in 2020, and had already begun to tee up challenges to election results.
“But Jim, Jim, we know there was fraud, there’s no question there was some fraud that took place in the 2020 election,” Lewandowski said. “There’s no question about that.”
“No widespread fraud,” Acosta clarified.
“But what does widespread mean, Jim? I mean, is one vote that was illegal enough?” Lewandowski said, exasperated.
“There were instances of voter fraud from Trump supporters,” Acosta pointed out. “I mean, you know that from the 2020 campaign.”
Trump and his allies have been accused of coordinating a plot in which 84 fake electors across seven states signed false electoral certificates claiming that Trump won the presidential election in their states.
Acosta noted that experts, including officials from the Trump campaign, had affirmed that there was no widespread voter fraud, as Lewandowski continued to spiral about what “widespread” actually meant.
“So I guess what you’re saying is, is that Donald Trump did not lose the 2020 election,” Acosta interjected. “Is that what you’re saying?”
“What I’m saying is Joe Biden is the president of the United States. You recognize that, and I recognize that,” Lewandowski said, continuing to whine about how they ought to talk about the 2024 election instead.
“Will Donald Trump honor the results of the 2024 election?” Acosta pressed. “Will he do that?”
“Jim, did-did-did Hillary Clinton honor the results? No. Did Democrats honor the results?” Lewandowski cried.
“Yes, she did. She called and conceded the election,” Acosta replied.
As Lewandowski continued to rant, Acosta explained, “Corey I was with you guys on election night in Manhattan in 2016. She called, she called the then president elect and conceded the election.”
Completely unwilling to address any of Acosta’s “hypotheticals” or reckon with his own damning nonanswer, Lewandowski continued to rant about illegal immigration and the economy.
ACOSTA: Did Trump lose the 2020 election? Can you answer that?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2024
COREY LEWANDOWSKI: Jim, I think it's very simple -- the American people have passed the 2020 election and are focused on an election that's five weeks away
ACOSTA: So what you're saying is that Trump didn't lose? pic.twitter.com/DlpRe5Gcp4
It’s become increasingly clear that no member of the Trump campaign is willing to answer simple questions about the previous election, or ensure a peaceful transition of power in the next one.