Bolton suggests Trump will not accept results if Harris wins: 'We should be ready for it'
Former national security adviser John Bolton said that he doesn't think former President Trump will accept the results of the presidential election if he doesn't win, warning that "we should be ready for it."
When asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins if he thought the former president would accept an outcome that doesn't favor a second Trump term, Bolton replied, "No, I don't think so."
"And I think we should be ready for it," he said.
The former Trump aide went on to mention pre-election litigation that has been piling up ahead of November, calling it "a good thing."
"People are already talking about the litigation that's been filed before Election Day," he told Collins, the host of CNN's "The Source."
"I actually think that's a good thing. I think the more issues that -- it's getting late now, obviously. But the more issues that are litigated before the election, the better," Bolton added.
There are currently more than 200 voting and election cases pending across the nation, according to Marc Elias, a leader of Vice President Harris's election litigation efforts.
Republicans have filed challenges related to proof-of-citizenship requirements and mail-in ballot deadlines. Democrats have challenged state election officials who have expanded their roles — and many are in key battleground states that could alter the trajectory of the election's outcome.
The Supreme Court has also been heating up with election-related disputes on their emergency docket. This past week, the nation's highest court got pulled into four separate election-related applications.
"At least now, some of this litigation is filed beforehand, and we're getting results, some favorable to Trump, some not favorable to Trump," Bolton said of the litigation. "It's taking those issues off the table."
He then emphasized that "everyone ought to be ready" if Trump doesn't win.
"But I think everybody ought to be ready. Because Trump never loses," the former national security adviser said. "And if he loses, it's because it's stolen. So, it will be difficult."
Harris also said earlier this week that her team will be ready if the GOP nominee prematurely claims victory.
The Hill has contacted the Trump campaign for comment.
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