Bolton says Trump won't accept loss, calls for post-election readiness
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Trump's former aide John Bolton says that amid litigation efforts and as the elections near, the former president would not accept defeat, warning, "we should be ready for it."
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President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with national security adviser John Bolton in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, April 9, 2018. (AP)
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton doubts that Donald Trump would accept his loss if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the 2024 elections on November 5, warning "we should be ready for it."
Speaking to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Bolton said he does not think Trump would accept the outcome of the elections if he does not win.
The former Trump aide noted that pre-election litigation has been accumulating ahead of November, saying, "I actually think that’s a good thing... The more issues that are litigated before the election, the better."
According to Marc Elias, who leads Vice President Harris's election litigation efforts, there are over 200 voting and election cases pending nationwide.
Republicans have initiated challenges regarding proof-of-citizenship requirements and mail-in ballot deadlines, while Democrats have contested the actions of state election officials who have broadened their responsibilities; many of whom are in crucial battleground states that could influence the election's results.
The Supreme Court has been increasingly involved in election-related disputes on its emergency docket, handling four different applications last week. According to Bolton, at least some of this litigation is being filed in advance, with some outcomes being favorable to Trump and some not.
He further stated that this process is helping to clarify certain issues. He also stressed that everyone should be prepared in case Trump does not win.
"But I think everybody ought to be ready. Because Trump never loses, and if he loses, it’s because it’s stolen. So, it will be difficult."
Harris also stated earlier this week that her team will be ready if the Republican nominee prematurely claims victory.
62% of US voters expect post-election violence
A fresh poll released last week by Scripps News and Ipsos revealed that 62% of US voters believe violence is "somewhat" or "very likely" following the upcoming November 5 election.
This concern is widespread across party lines, with 70% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans expressing fears of post-election unrest.
In response to these concerns, 51% of respondents indicated support for the deployment of the US military to prevent any potential threats surrounding election day.
The poll, conducted between October 18-20 among 1,028 adult voters, also showed that 77% of voters would accept the election results even if their preferred candidate loses.
Additionally, almost 27% of US citizens fear a civil war outbreak following the elections, with both Harris and Trump's supporters expressing similar concerns, a recent YouGov poll revealed.
Six percent of poll takers said the possibility of a civil war breaking out post-elections was "very likely", while 21% stated that it would be "somewhat likely". The survey, conducted between October 18-21 for The Times and the SAY24 project, showed that similar percentages of supporters for both Trump and Harris believed that a civil war was at least somewhat likely.
