“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,” he proclaimed in an Ohio rally, doubling down on his previous refusals to say he’d participate in a peaceful transition of power that is the bedrock of American democracy.
Trump claimed that Hillary Clinton is seeking to rig the election before arguing that he's "being asked to waive centuries of legal precedent designed to protect the voters."
And he continued to undermine voters’ trust in American democratic institutions, claiming that 1.8 million dead people are registered to vote, “and some of them vote,” after claiming that Hillary Clinton is “Truly capable of anything, including voter fraud.”
"Of course I would accept a clear election result but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result," he continued, comparing his unfounded claims of vote-rigging to the 2000 election, when Florida entered an automatic recount.
Those remarks are alarming politicians of all stripes, who are increasingly worried about Trump's open attacks on American democracy could damage voters' trust that the U.S. holds free and fair elections and potentially inspiring violence.
Trump refused during the third presidential debate to say he’ll accept the results on Nov. 8 if he comes out on the losing side, amplifying his previous unfounded claims that the election is being “rigged” against him."What I'm saying is that I will tell you at the time. I will keep you in suspense," Trump warned onstage Wednesday night.
Those ominous comments have even some Republicans concerned about what could happen.
John McCain fired back at Donald Trump’s refusal to say he’ll accept the results of the upcoming election, issuing a stinging open letter warning him to show “respect” to America and accept the will of the people if he loses.
“I didn’t like the outcome of the 2008 election. But I had a duty to concede, and I did so without reluctance. 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,” McCain wrote.
The Arizona senator, who has long been at odds with Trump and officially unendorsed him in recent weeks, warned that Trump’s rejection of the democratic process would be a dangerous precedent.
“In every previous election, the loser congratulates the winner and calls them ‘my president.’ That’s not just the Republican way or the Democratic way. It’s the American way,” he continued. “This election must not be any different.”
He sounded remarkably similar to the Democrats warning about Trump's rhetoric.
"The American public has to stand up, even Republicans," Vice President Joe Biden said during a New Hampshire campaign event. "This is a threat to our democratic process and the way to reaffirm it is to have an exceptional turnout."
Even a blowout win doesn't guarantee peace if Trump keeps instigating his most hardline supporters, however.
Trump has previously called for the "Second amendment people" to stand up against Clinton. And those remarks continue to be echoed by his supporters.
When Fox News broadcaster Laura Ingraham tweeted that Trump should have said he'd accept the results of the election because "there's no other option unless we're in a recount again," a Twitter user and self-proclaimed "conservative political journalist" identified as April LaJune fired back.
"There's another option. It's called the Second Amendment. If you think we will tolerate this you're mistaken," she tweeted with the hashtag #TrumpPence2016. That tweet had more than 40 retweets and more than 50 likes as of early afternoon on Thursday.
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