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United States President Donald Trump watches as he leaves a rally at the Toledo Express Airport in Swanton, Ohio, on September 21, 2020.
MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images
- A group of prominent world leaders say that Donald Trump’s refusal to admit defeat shows a lack of respect for the integrity of American democracy.
- The group, made up of Nelson Mandela, includes other leaders such as former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
- The Elders have asked Trump to accept the verdict from the polls.
The Elders, a group of prominent former world leaders, expressed concern on Thursday about US President Donald Trump’s refusal to admit electoral defeat, saying it showed a lack of respect for the integrity of American democracy.
The group was founded by the late former South African President Nelson Mandela and is now chaired by former Irish President Mary Robinson.
It includes Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former Nobel Peace Prize winners of Colombia and Liberia, and a host of other former world leaders. Former President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, is a member emeritus.
Trump’s position was “putting the functioning of American democracy at risk,” the group said, asking him to accept the verdict at the polls.
Trump had focused on efforts to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election in highly contested states, despite presenting no evidence of wrongdoing that could affect the outcome, and skeptical reception from judges.
“The continuous claims of electoral fraud by the president and some senior officials of the administration and the Republican Party, offered so far without strong evidence, convey a lack of respect for the integrity and independence of the democratic and legal institutions of the States United States, “the Elders said in a statement.
“Those who will benefit from the current stalemate are autocratic rulers and evil actors who wish to undermine democracy and the rule of law around the world.”
Robinson, who served as the UN human rights chief, noted that The Elders had previously commented on “volatile and undemocratic situations in states such as Kenya, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.”
