In a recent interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, former President Donald Trump indicated he may not accept the outcome of the 2024 presidential election if he loses.
“If everything’s honest, I’ll gladly accept the results,” Trump told the Wisconsin newspaper. “But if it’s not, you have to fight for the right of the country.”
His comments come amid continued baseless claims the 2020 election was “rigged” despite multiple recounts and audits affirming President Biden’s narrow victory in key swing states like Wisconsin. During the interview, Trump once again falsely alleged he had actually won Wisconsin based on unspecified “things that had been found out.”
Election experts have roundly dismissed Trump’s fraud allegations. However, by preemptively casting doubts on the fairness of future elections, the former president appears to be laying the groundwork to delegitimize results that do not go in his favor.
This confrontational approach stands in contrast to the conciliatory language usually adopted by defeated candidates seeking to promote national unity. It could further exacerbate tensions in a country still deeply polarized over the 2020 election fallout.
With the 2024 Republican nomination seemingly his for the taking, Trump’s musings suggest he may follow a scorched earth strategy of challenging unfavorable outcomes through litigation and protests rather than concession. That scenario could deal a powerful blow to America’s democratic norms and trust in its electoral process.
