During the final presidential debate, Donald Trump was asked if he would accept the outcome should Hillary Clinton win the presidency on November 8. "I will tell you at the time," Trump responded. "I'll keep you in suspense."
Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power, which moderator Chris Wallace called "one of the prides of this country," became the biggest story of the debate. His comments were derided in the press and even from within his own party. Mike Pence clarified later in the week that the campaign "will absolutely accept the result of the election."
Trump himself never backtracked, though, and even on Election Day he still won't say whether he will concede should Clinton win. "I want to see what happens, you know, how it goes," he said Tuesday morning on Newsradio 610 WTVN, per CNN. "You know, you want to see. You hear so many horrible stories and you see so many things that are wrong. So we'll take a look. Certainly I love this country and I believe in the system, you understand that."
Trump also appeared on AM Tampa Bay on 970 WFLA, saying that he might contest a close finish, "if I think there's something that was wrong."
"Did you notice, when I brought this up a few months ago, Obama, and others said, 'Oh, this is the foundation of our country,' but eight years ago, he was was basically saying that Chicago is rigged?" Trump added.
Regardless of whether Trump accepts losing, the results will be valid. The tradition of the loser conceding is merely that: a tradition. Candidates are not required by law to publicly acknowledge that their opponents have bested them. It would be a bizarre move to refrain from doing so, but this has been a bizarre election.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Ryan Bort is a staff writer covering culture for Newsweek. Previously, he was a freelance writer and editor, and his ... Read more
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