US President Donald Trump on Sunday continued to rail against the election result, appearing to acknowledge for the first time publicly that Democrat Joe Biden won before quickly backtracking.
"He won because the Election was Rigged," Trump tweeted, along with unsubstantiated theories about access for poll observers and vote tabulations.
He won because the Election was Rigged. NO VOTE WATCHERS OR OBSERVERS allowed, vote tabulated by a Radical Left privately owned company, Dominion, with a bad reputation & bum equipment that couldn’t even qualify for Texas (which I won by a lot!), the Fake & Silent Media, & more! https://t.co/Exb3C1mAPg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2020
However, a later tweet indicated it was not meant as a concession.
"He only won in the eyes of the FAKE NEWS MEDIA. I concede NOTHING! We have a long way to go. This was a RIGGED ELECTION!" Trump wrote.
He only won in the eyes of the FAKE NEWS MEDIA. I concede NOTHING! We have a long way to go. This was a RIGGED ELECTION!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2020
As with many of Trump's recent tweets, Twitter slapped a warning sign on both posts, saying they contained disputed claims of election fraud.
Biden declared victory over a week ago after all major US media outlets called the election for him, but Trump had so far refused to acknowledge his rival's win.
No success in court battle
Trump's lawyers are fighting results in courts in multiple states, without any success. Federal and state officials have said the November 3 presidential election was secure and there was no evidence of major irregularities.
Biden has begun the transition, even as the White House refuses to cooperate.
"If the president's prepared to begin to recognize that reality, that's positive," Ron Klain, Biden's pick for chief of staff, told NBC News with regards to Trump's earlier tweet.
"Donald Trump's Twitter feed doesn't make Joe Biden president or not president, the American people did that," he added.
