Trump condemned by John Oliver over ‘dark insinuations’ he won’t accept US election result

‘For Trump, having an additional supreme court appointment is absolutely crucial to his re-election,’ TV host says

John Oliver has condemned Donald Trump’s recent comments that implied he would refuse to concede the 2020 election.

With the appointment of right-wing judge Amy Coney Barrett as supreme court justice looking likely to be pushed through before the November election, Trump has suggested that he would take any contentious result to the Republican-controlled supreme court.

Speaking on his topical HBO series Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the British-American comedian voiced his concern about the US president’s recent comments.

“Not only could Trump win the election outright, even if he doesn’t, he could, as he’s repeatedly indicated, refuse to concede, and force the results into the courts,” he said.

“And that possibility is clearly part of his haste to get a justice confirmed before the election. Because he’s not even trying to hide it now.”

This was followed by a clip of Trump speaking recently, in which he voices the “need” for nine justices.

“With the unsolicited millions of ballots that they’re sending,” Trump said. “It’s a scam, it’s a hoax, everybody knows that, and the democrats know that better than anybody else.”

Trump has cited a fear of mail-in voter fraud on many occasions, despite evidence suggesting that the threat is minimal.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic likely to make voting by mail a vastly more popular option than ever before, there are concerns among Democrats that Trump will use the voter fraud conspiracy as a means to retain power, should he lose the election.

Oliver addressed Trump’s statement, saying: “Ok. There were a number of dark insinuations there, including: it’s important for us to choose the next justice, so they can decide what the American people choose.

“And that makes it pretty clear that for Trump, having an additional supreme court appointment is absolutely crucial to his re-election. As crucial, say, as angry white people wearing red hats, Facebook posts from undercover Russian operatives and, based on his campaign’s online store, selling Trump colouring books that even the kids in the ads look bored by.”