Shock as Trump questions legitimacy of election
Tycoon refuses to say if he would honour outcome
DONALD TRUMP has left his stunned allies struggling to defend his refusal at the final presidential debate to say if he would honour the results of the November election should he lose, sparking condemnation from Republicans and Democrats.
Sean Spicer, the chief strategist of the Republican National Committee, which is supplying much of the Trump campaign’s voter outreach efforts, said the national party would “respect the will of the people”.
“I cannot speak for what he thinks,” Mr Spicer said.
South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement that “Mr Trump is doing the party and the country a great disservice” by suggesting the election is rigged, while Arionza senator Jeff Flake called the New York billionaire’s statements “beyond the pale”.
After spending the past few weeks claiming without evidence that the November 8 election would be “rigged” in favour of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump was asked directly by Fox News anchor and debate moderator Chris Wallace if he would concede should he lose to Mrs Clinton.
“I will look at it at the time,” Mr Trump said. When pressed moments later, he added: “What I’m saying is that I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense.”
Mrs Clinton called Mr Trump’s comments “horrifying”.
Billionaire Mark Cuban, one of Mrs Clinton’s top supporters, called Mr Trump’s words “a slap in the face of every American in the history of this country, the
Mr Trump is doing the party and the country a great disservice South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham in a statement
constitution and our democracy”.
“That’s what we’re proud of,” he said. “So for him to question that, that’s disqualifying.”
Mr Trump’s shock comments came just hours after his running mate, Indiana governor Mike Pence, said on CNN “that we’ll certainly accept the outcome of this election”.
And Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka, arguably his most influential adviser, said on Wednesday that her father would “do the right thing” when she was asked if he would concede after a defeat in November.
The debate answer left his own team scrambling in the aftermath of the debate. Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, at first responded to questions about the comment by saying he “would accept the results, because he’ll win the election”.
“So, you know, absent widespread fraud and irregularities, then, we’ll see,” Ms Conway said. “What he’s saying is we have to see what happens.”
She later rejected the outcry over Mr Trump’s comment, saying it was “not fair” to suggest he was undermining the prospects of a peaceful transfer of power.
“You’ve got to listen to everything he said,” she argued. “Al Gore did not accept the results of the elections and he said he would. He actually conceded to George W Bush on election night in 2000 and then called and retracted his concession.”
Mr Gore pulled back his concession only after updated vote count results in Florida showed the state too close to call, throwing the outcome of the election into doubt.