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President-elect Joe Biden said Tuesday that nothing would stop the transfer of power in the United States government, while President Donald Trump has filed lawsuits in several states in a risky attempt to hold on to power.
The Trump campaign said it would file a lawsuit to prevent Michigan from officially certifying Biden as the winner there until the state can verify that the votes were cast legally, the latest in a series of lawsuits across the battling states to try to back Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of fraud.
Legal experts have said that Trump’s litigation has little chance of changing the outcome, and state officials have said there were no significant irregularities in the Nov.3 election.
Meanwhile, Trump supporters faced a possible setback in Pennsylvania. A witness who had filed ballot tampering allegations retracted his allegations, according to Democrats in Congress who were briefed on the investigation.
Trump’s fraud allegations did not appear to be gaining traction among the public. Nearly 80% of Americans, including more than half of Republicans, recognize Biden as the winner, according to a Reuters / Ipsos poll.
Top Republicans in Congress, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, said Trump had a right to challenge Biden’s victory, and others echoed the president’s baseless accusations of widespread fraud. Privately, some attendees said Trump would need to present credible evidence soon to retain their support.
Biden garnered more than the 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the presidency by winning Pennsylvania on Saturday after a tense four-day recount, which was delayed by an increase in mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden said in a speech in Delaware that his team was moving forward in forming a new administration to take over on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2021, no matter what.
“We are going to keep moving forward, moving forward consistently, putting together our administration, the White House and reviewing who we are going to elect to Cabinet positions, and nothing is going to stop that,” he said. on Tuesday. Biden said it was a “shame” that Trump did not grant the election.
Answering media questions for the first time since his victory, Biden was asked what he would say if Trump were watching. He said, “Mr. President, I look forward to speaking with you.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo predicted a “second Trump administration,” in remarks contrary to congratulatory phone calls from the leaders of Great Britain, France, Germany and Ireland to Biden.
Trump installed loyalists to the highest positions in the Pentagon, a day after firing Defense Secretary Mark Esper, which could make it easier for US troops to use to respond to internal protests.
Biden’s transition team has not been able to move into federal government office space or tap into the funds to hire staff because a Trump appointee who heads the federal office charged with recognizing election results has not yet done so.
“The entire Republican Party has been put in a position with some notable exceptions of being mildly intimidated by the incumbent president,” said Biden, who chuckled when asked about Pompeo’s comments.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a conservative whose stormy style is often compared to Trump’s, said he spoke with Biden on Tuesday by phone about working together on priorities like climate change, promoting democracy and recovering from the pandemic. .
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan also congratulated Biden, a former vice president who will now take over the White House after nearly five decades in politics.
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