### Biden Expresses Confidence in "Free and Fair" November Election, Tempered by Concerns Over Peacefulness

During an unplanned appearance at the White House press briefing, President Joe Biden articulated his belief that the upcoming November election will be "free and fair." However, he voiced reservations regarding the potential for a peaceful process. When asked by a reporter about the likelihood of a peaceful election, Biden expressed uncertainty, saying, "I'm confident it will be free and fair. I don't know whether it will be peaceful."

Biden criticized former President Donald Trump’s remarks surrounding the election results, labeling them as "very dangerous." The president's concerns are underscored by past contentious statements from Trump when he disputed the outcomes of previous elections. NBC News has sought comments from Trump's campaign in response to Biden's statements.

Adding to Biden's concerns are the comments from Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump's running mate, who during Tuesday's vice presidential debate avoided directly confirming whether Biden won the 2020 presidential election. When asked by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, "Did he [Trump] lose the 2020 election?", Vance responded, "Tim, I'm focused on the future." Walz criticized Vance's evasive answer, calling it "a damning non-answer" and emphasized, "He lost the election. This is not a debate."

Biden highlighted the significance of these exchanges, suggesting that the Republican vice presidential candidate's refusal to accept the outcome of the last election is troubling. He pointed out, "I noticed the vice presidential Republican candidate did not say he'd accept the outcome of the election. They haven't even accepted the outcome of the last election."

Moreover, recent developments in the federal election interference case against Trump have intensified scrutiny. Prosecutors filed a brief on Wednesday, alleging that Trump undertook illegal actions to overturn the 2020 election results. Special counsel Jack Smith and his team argued that Trump's efforts included criminal activities aimed at staying in office, especially citing actions around the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

In an interview with NewsNation, Trump dismissed the new federal filing, claiming, "It's nothing new in there, by the way, nothing new." Vance also downplayed Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6 events during the vice presidential debate, stating that Trump had asked people to "peacefully" protest and that his eventual departure from the White House indicated a peaceful transition.

Despite Trump's repeated attempts to minimize his role and the associated violence of Jan. 6, the House January 6 committee concluded that the riot was primarily driven by Trump. The committee pointed out that Trump's tweet indicating that the protest would "be wild" was a significant motivator and that he did not call for his supporters to disperse until hours after the violence began. Trump's rhetoric towards the protestors who were later criminally charged has been controversial; he has promised to pardon them if reelected, referring to them as "hostages," "warriors," and "victims."