President Barack Obama has said Donald Trump’s insistence that he might not accept the election result is “dangerous”.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Miami for Hillary Clinton, President Obama said Donald Trump’s comments undermined American democracy.
During the third debate, the republican nominee refused to say he would accept the outcome of the election on November 8.
The billionaire later said he would accept a “clear” result but left a challenge open.
Speaking in Ohio on October 20, Donald Trump said, with a grin: “I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the United States, that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election – if I win.”
In the same speech, the Republican said he would accept a clear election result but reserved the right to file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable one.
Hours later, Barack Obama said that sowing the seeds of doubt in people’s minds about the legitimacy of US elections provided a boost to the country’s enemies.
“You’re doing the work of our adversaries for them, because our democracy depends on people knowing that their vote matters,” the president said.
Donald Trump has been heavily criticized by many in his own party by suggesting he might not accept the election result.
For days, the Republican has claimed the election is rigged against him, due to media bias and voter fraud.
During October 19 debate with Hillary Clinton, when moderator Chris Wallace asked Donald Trump if he would accept losing to her, the Republican nominee said he would “keep you in suspense”.
Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, later insisted that the candidate had meant he would not concede until the “results are actually known”.
Republican Senator John McCain, who lost to Barack Obama in 2008, said: “A concession isn’t just an exercise in graciousness. It is an act of respect for the will of the American people, a respect that is every American leader’s first responsibility.”
First Lady Michelle Obama also joined the attack on October 20, saying “you do not keep American democracy in suspense”.
At the Ohio rally, Donald Trump also reiterated a claim he made during the debate, that Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama were responsible for inciting violence at a Chicago rally earlier this year.
The crowd erupted into cheers of: “Lock her up!”
During the debate, Donald Trump called Hillary Clinton a “nasty woman”.
Donald Trump has trailed Hillary Clinton in the polls after facing damaging fallout over a video that emerged of him making inappropriate remarks about groping women.
Latest polls suggest Hillary Clinton is ahead nationally and in key battleground states.
