Trump: November election is 'rigged'

Facing possible defeat in the US presidential election, Donald Trump has once again floated the idea of “rigged election,” days after his refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power raised concerns that he might refuse to leave office even if he loses the November vote.

Trump tweeted “Rigged election!” on Monday, along with a video purportedly showing a man caught on camera while paying cash for ballot exchange.

The video shows a man buying a registration form for an absentee ballot for a voter, giving him “pocket money” of $200 and expecting to collect his ballot when the voter receives it.

The man is heard saying. “OK, when I fill it out, I’ll bring it to you.”

Rigged Election! https://t.co/ysYCBCyxf8

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 29, 2020

Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on mail voting, claiming that mail-in ballots lead to mass voter fraud.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, millions of people prefer not to vote in person.

At least in nine states, every registered voter will automatically be mailed an application to request an absentee ballot.

Experts believe that by escalating his ongoing attack on mail-in ballots, Trump was seeding the ground to contest the election as” rigged or fraudulent” in the event of losing the election, and push the country into chaos.

Several studies have so far found voter fraud to be exceedingly rare in the US.

Trump won't commit to a peaceful transition of power after US election

US President Donald Trump says he will not commit to a peaceful transition of power after the 2020 presidential election.

The president also sent shockwaves across the nation last week, when he refused to commit to leave office peacefully, if he loses the election.

Asked if he loses this year’s election to his Democratic rival Joe Biden, will he accept the results and commit to a peaceful transition, Trump said, “We’re going to have to see what happens.”

"We'll want to have — get rid of the ballots and you'll have a very — we'll have a very peaceful — there won't be a transfer, frankly. There'll be a continuation,’ he said.

His controversial remarks have drawn reactions from both Democrats and his own party members, with Republican senator Mitt Romney saying in a tweet that a peaceful transition of power is “fundamental to democracy.”

Democratic lawmaker Adam Schiff of California described Trump’s comments as "an effort by the president to discredit the votes of millions, to stack the Supreme Court, to disenfranchise millions and perpetuate himself in office by enlisting foreign assistance."

Trump tweeted recently that this year’s election “may NEVER BE ACCURATELY DETERMINED” citing mail-in ballots.

In another tweet he said, “RIGGED ELECTION in waiting.”

Thomas Friedman: US potentially heading to 'second Civil War'

Thomas Friedman has said that the US could be headed towards a second civil war after President Trump

Last month, he claimed at a rally in Wisconsin month, “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged.”

On another occasion, Trump said “We’re not going to lose this except if they cheat.”

Recent polls, however, show Biden is leading the president in seven states Trump won four years ago.

His repeated claims about “rigged elections” has sparked fear that he was preparing for post-election counterattacks.

Citing Democratic sources, CNN reported Monday that the party's legal apparatus is bracing to respond to any potential scenario that arises, whether it's fighting disputed state counts in court, a state's slate of electors or the deployment of federal agents to states.

Trump in recent weeks has suggested he wants to send "law enforcement" officers and "US attorneys" to polling places to guard against what he called voter fraud.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk