"He's saying he wants to reserve all options and 'if there is grounds for a recount, I will exercise my options,'" RNC chair Reince Priebus says. | AP Photo Priebus: Trump 'not willing to not concede'

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said Sunday he knows what Donald Trump really thinks about accepting the results of the election, despite the GOP presidential nominee's refusal to say he will.

"I know where he's at on this," Priebus told John Dickerson on CBS' "Face the Nation."


"He's saying he wants to reserve all options, and 'if there is grounds for a recount, I will exercise my options,'" Priebus said. "He is not willing to not concede if he loses and there's no fraud."

But Trump himself has said if he loses Pennsylvania it could only be because of fraud, Dickerson said. Pennsylvania has voted for the Democratic nominee the past six elections.

"That's not where we're at," Priebus said. "Losing by 100 votes is one thing. Losing by 100,000 is another thing."

Priebus said the media's treatment of Trump and the prosecution of a general for leaking classified information but not Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server makes Trump think that he should keep his options open when he hears about voter fraud. Trump's comments about the election being rigged or stolen are only to encourage supporters to be on the lookout, Priebus said.

Dickerson asked whether Trump should be clearer about the distinction between reserving the right to contest a close election versus pushing his followers to conclude that the system is stacked against him. Priebus said he has.