Donald Trump refuses to say he will accept election result in final presidential debate with Hillary Clinton

Hatty Collier20 October 2016

Donald Trump refused to say if he would accept the result of the presidential election if he loses during his final TV clash with Hillary Clinton.

The Republican presidential nominee was asked if he would follow the US tradition of accepting the result of presidential elections following his claims this week of “large-scale voter fraud”.

“I will tell you at the time, I will keep you in suspense,” Mr Trump told the moderator, Fox News’ Chris Wallace at the end of the fiery 90-minute showdown in Las Vegas.

Democratic presidential nominee Mrs Clinton interjected: “Chris, let me respond to that. That’s horrifying.”

The billionaire tycoon again referenced a “rigged election” and said the media was “so dishonest” and had “poisoned the minds of voters.

Debate: Donald Trump speaks during his final TV showdown with Hillary Clinton
REUTERS

Mrs Clinton said: "Every time Donald thinks things are not going in his direction he claims it is rigged against him."

She said this could range from Iowa primary, to lawsuits and not getting an Emmy for a TV programme.

US election: Hillary Clinton speaks during the final debate between the candidates
AP

The former secretary of state added: "This is a mindset. This is how Donald thinks.

“It is funny but it is also really troubling - that is not the way our democracy works."

Mr Trump repeated his belief that the FBI should prosecute Mrs Clinton for using a private email server to handle government business when she was secretary of state.

Donald Trump discusses immigration during the final US Presidential debate
EPA

He said: "She shouldn't be allowed to run. It's crooked. She's guilty of a very serious crime.

"Just in that respect I say it's rigged. She should never have been allowed to run for the presidency."

The two did not shake hands as they stepped onto the stage in Las Vegas from opposite sides, each briefly waving to the audience before immediately moving behind their podiums.

In contrast to the fiery personal attacks of the first two debates, the candidates had a sharp but issues-based exchange on abortion, gun rights and immigration at the beginning of the head to head.

Mr Trump said if he is elected president he would make it a priority to make sure that “bad hombres” living in the US illegally would be booted out of the country.

Things got heated as Mrs Clinton branded Mr Trump a "puppet" of Vladimir Putin after he claimed the Russian president had "no respect" for her.

"I don't know Putin," Mr Trump said. "He nice things about me. If we got along well, that would be good," he said.

Hillary Clinton waves to an audience member as she walks off the debate stage
REUTERS

"He has no respect for her. He has no respect for our president.

"We're in very serious trouble. We have a country with tremendous numbers of nuclear warheads ... 1,800 nuclear warheads and she's playing chicken.

"From everything I see, Putin has no respect for this person."

Mr Clinton responded: "That's because he'd rather have a puppet as president of the United States".

Mr Trump replied: "No puppet! You're the puppet."

He went onto accuse Mrs Clinton’s campaign team of making up allegations of sexual assault against him.

Since the last debate 10 days ago, several women have come forward to say Mr Trump groped or kissed them without consent.

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