Former US President Barack Obama says President Donald Trump's refusal to concede defeat to Joe Biden more than a week after the election was called, is "not normal" and is causing "damage".
Speaking to CBS on Sunday, Mr Obama, who left the Oval Office four years ago, said it was disappointing to see so few Republicans stand up to Mr Trump.
Many are backing Mr Trump's unsubstantiated claims of mass electoral fraud.
"It's been sort of par-for-the-course during these four years. They obviously didn’t think there was any fraud going on cause they didn’t say anything about it for the first two days," Mr Obama said.
"But there's damage to this because what happens is that the peaceful transfer of power, the notion that any of us who attain an elected office, whether it's dogcatcher or president, are servants of the people.
"It's a temporary job. We're not above the rules, we're not above the law, that's the essence of our democracy," he said.
Despite a recent, Mr Trump is still refusing to concede.
"He [Joe BIden] won because the election was rigged," Mr Trump wrote to his 88.9 million followers on Twitter.
This tweet was shortly followed up with a clarification which read: "Rigged election. We will win."
Although Twitter has marked these tweets as disputed claims about election fraud, Mr Trump later took aim at the media.
In his first interview since the election, Mr Obama also addressed Mr Trump's claim that he had done more for people of colour in America since Abraham Lincoln.
"I think it's fair to say that there are many things he says that I do not take personally or seriously, although I think they can often be destructive and harmful," he said.
He also used the interview as a chance to reflect on his own time in the White House.
"The first time I walked in as president...I think you feel a reverence for the office," he said.
"I think it was President Lincoln who said, 'If you weren't religious before you go into office, you sure are on your knees praying one you in office.'"
Despite his own fond memories, Mr Obama ruled out any chance of re-joining cabinet, saying Mr Biden "doesn't need my advice."
“I will help him in any way that I can. Now, I’m not planning to suddenly work on the White House staff or something.
“There are some things I would not be doing because Michelle would leave me. She’d be like, what? You’re doing what?”
