Trump says US democracy will end if he loses 2024 election

His comment comes as a poll shows a very close election in the event of a contest between the Republican presidential candidate and Joe Biden

In an appeal to minority voters, Trump claims many illegal immigrants have crossed the US-Mexico border since Biden took office

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Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024. Photo: TNS

Published: 10:22am, 17 Mar 2024

Donald Trump said if he does not win November’s presidential election it will mean the likely end of American democracy.

The Republican presidential candidate, speaking to supporters in Ohio on Saturday, made the claim after repeating his baseless assertion that his 2020 election defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result of election fraud.

During an outdoor speech that was whipped by strong winds and punctuated by some profane language, Trump predicted that if he does not win the November 5 general election, American democracy will come to an end.

“If we don’t win this election, I don’t think you’re going to have another election in this country,” Trump said.

Trump, who is under criminal indictment in Georgia for trying to overturn the result of the 2020 election there, this week won enough delegates to mathematically clinch the Republican nomination.

A general election rematch with Biden is likely to be extremely close. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week found the two candidates in a statistical tie with registered voters.

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