George W. Bush's senior advisor Karl Rove says Donald Trump is 'on the edge of looking like a sore loser' and is 'not helping himself or the country'
Karl Rove has said Donald Trump is 'on the edge of looking like a sore loser', urging the president to put the country first and accept the results of the election.
Rove, who was George W. Bush's chief advisor, said on Sunday that Trump needed to put the country's interests first.
Trump told Fox News on Saturday, in an interview which aired Sunday, that he felt the election was 'not over' and he would continue to fight.
He also refused to say whether he would attend Joe Biden's inauguration, which would make him the fourth president to shun the ceremony, after John Adams in 1801, John Quincy Adams in 1829 and Andrew Johnson in 1869.
Asked whether he believed Trump would continue to contest the results even after January 6 - the day when both the Senate and House gather to officially count the votes - Rove told Fox news it depended on what Trump's aim was.
Karl Rove, who was George W. Bush's senior advisor, said Trump needed to accept reality
Donald Trump spent Sunday golfing at his Sterling, Virginia course
Rove told Fox News that the president was 'not helping himself or the country'
'If his goal is to lay the predicate to come back in 2024 and run again, he's helping himself at least gaining the nomination, but I think in the long run he's not helping himself or the country,' said Rove.
'America likes comebacks, but they don't like sore losers, and he is on the edge of looking like a sore loser, and probably will look like it after January 6th.'
Rove said he would not be surprised if there were attempts to 'disrupt' voting in some of the states the Trump camp is contesting, such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Arizona and Michigan.
He said he thinks some Republicans will try some stunts during the January 6 procedures, which are normally unremarkable.
Trump supporters are seen on Sunday protesting the results of the election
The president has encouraged his supporters in their belief that the election was stolen
On Sunday morning Chris Christie, a Trump ally who advised the president during the campaign, told ABC News that Trump's legal efforts were full of 'absurdities'.
He said he was dismayed at Trump's attacking respected Republican governors like Brian Kemp of Georgia and Doug Ducey of Arizona.
On Saturday Trump supporters took to the streets of Washington DC, with around 15,000 people marching in support of a 'Stop the Steal' rally.
As night fell the rally took a dark turn, with brawls between members of the far-Right Proud Boys fighting black-clad counter-protesters.
Four people were stabbed, and eight taken to hospital, including two police officers.
D.C.: The Proud Boys' member was treated for a wound to the stomach before he was taken to hospital
D.C.: A member of the Proud Boys is stabbed in a confrontation with a counter-protester at around 9.20pm
D.C: Fireworks are let off in the nation's capital as protester and counter-protesters began to clash on Saturday night
OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON: Law enforcement personnel detain an anti-fascist protester during political clashes Saturday
Fireworks were let off and the police tried to separate the rival groups, only for fights to break out in a different part of the downtown area.
In Olympia, Washington state, one person was shot in the stomach during the protests, and in Sacramento five police officers were taken to hospital following the rally.
The president has refused to condemn the violence on his behalf, and has praised those protesting as patriots.