Donald Trump on Sunday night denied a report published by Axios that he had told confidants he plans to declare victory early on Tuesday if it looks like he’s ahead.
Axios reported: “Trump has privately talked through this scenario in some detail in the last few weeks, describing plans to walk up to a podium on election night and declare he has won. For this to happen, his allies expect he would need to either win or have commanding leads in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Iowa, Arizona and Georgia. … Many prognosticators say that on election night, Trump will likely appear ahead in Pennsylvania — though the state’s final outcome could change substantially as mail-in ballots are counted over the following days.”
Trump told reporters on Sunday night that he didn’t want states counting ballots that come in after election day.
Said Trump, via NBC News: “I think [a recent SCOTUS decision allowing Pennsylvania and North Carolina to continue counting ballots postmarked before election day] was a terrible decision for our country. And I think it was a very dangerous decision for our country. Because you’re going to have one or two or three states, depending on how it ends up, where they’re tabulating ballots and the rest of the world is waiting to find out. And I think there’s great danger to it, and I think a lot of fraud and misuse can take place. I think it’s a terrible decision by the Supreme Court. A terrible decision.”
“Now, I don’t know if that’s going to be changed, because we’re going to go in night of, as soon as that election is over, we’re going in with our lawyers,” Trump added. “I don’t think it’s fair that we have to wait a long period of time after the election. Should’ve gotten their ballots in a long time before that. Could’ve gotten their ballots in a month ago. I think it’s a ridiculous decision”
