Trump Revives Baseless Fraud Claims After Democrats Sweep Midterms
US President Donald Trump revived baseless fraud claims on Monday, six days after accepting midterm results in which Democrats won the House and Senate. He offered no evidence. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called it a return to election denialism.
US President Donald Trump on Monday revived baseless allegations of election fraud, reversing his earlier acceptance of last week's midterm results after Democrats swept both chambers of Congress. Trump reverses stance and alleges fraud without offering any evidence.
"Does anybody really believe that this 'Election' was honest. How could the Polls be so wrong???" he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
"Some early voting 'dumps' were so large that it was impossible to win, no matter how many people went to vote," he added. "It's all about the machines, which are far more important than the voter!"
He did not identify the voting machines he questioned. He also gave no specific evidence that ballots had been improperly counted.
From conciliation to accusation
The reversal came six days after voters handed Democrats their biggest House majority in nearly two decades and control of the Senate. On election night, Trump struck an unusually conciliatory tone. "I am absolutely willing to accept those results," he said in an interview, adding that he looked forward to working with Democrats.
He later praised their campaign on television. "I think the Democrats did a good job. I really do," he said.
The tone shifted on Thursday. Trump demanded that votes cast for two minor candidates in Alaska's still-undecided US Senate race be transferred to the trailing Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan. "There is no other fair solution!" he insisted, even though Alaska's election laws provide for ranked-choice voting.
Monday's posts went further. They cast doubt on the legitimacy of the elections nationwide and echoed his unfounded claims that Democrat Joe Biden stole the 2020 presidential election.
His refusal to accept that defeat led to dozens of unsuccessful legal challenges. It culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters.
Democrats respond
Democrats reacted furiously. "Donald Trump's pathetic return to election denialism was inevitable," said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
"He can whine all he wants, but nothing will stop this inescapable truth: For the last two years of his presidency, Trump will face the largest Democratic congressional majorities in decades, all because he has been an unprecedented failure," Schumer said.
Pre-election polls had generally pointed toward Democratic gains, although they underestimated the scale of the party's victories. Election officials across the country reported largely trouble-free voting.
Trump had earlier blamed his party's defeat on his absence from the ballot, despite repeatedly urging supporters during the campaign to vote as though he were running himself. He also acknowledged that the deeply unpopular war with Iran, which sent fuel prices soaring, had contributed to the losses.
When the new Congress takes office in January, Democrats will have extensive powers to investigate his administration and obstruct his legislative agenda. Trump will keep his presidential veto and considerable executive powers.
