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As it happenedended1604282019

President admits plan to challenge election result as soon as polls close

Follow all the latest from the White House and beyond

Samuel Osborne,Graeme Massie
Monday 02 November 2020 01:53 GMT
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Trump predicts 'great red wave' of Republican votes on election night

Donald Trump has admitted he plans to challenge election results as soon as the polls close, according to a report.

The president revealed his legal plan to win the election to reporters before he attended a campaign rally in North Carolina.

Mr Trump admitted he had lawyers at the ready and that they would challenge ballots being counted after 3 November in key states like Pennsylvania.

The president also defended the “patriots” who surrounded a Joe Biden campaign bus in Texas as the FBI is now investigating the incident.

Mr Trump’s supporters shut down a New York bridge as the president confided he would declare victory on election night if it ‘appears’ he’s ahead.

The president will make the claim regardless of how many votes are still being counted in key states like Pennsylvania, according to Axios.

Mr Trump has reportedly talked through the scenario over the past few weeks and plans to appear at a podium and prematurely claim he has won, three people told Axios.

Hundreds of Mr Trump’s supporters temporarily blocked the Mario Cuomo Bridge, which is named after the father of New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo.

The president’s supporters also blocked the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey, to sho support for him.

Earlier Mr Trump appeared to praise an incident in Texas which saw a group of his supporters surround a Joe Biden campaign bus.

The FBI have said they are investigating the incident, which led Mr Biden’s campaign to cancel an event due to be held in the state on Friday.

It comes as the US president prepares to hold a series of rallies ahead of election day on Tuesday.

Follow the latest updates from the White House and beyond

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Hello and welcome to the latest Donald Trump updates as the US president launches a frenzy of campaigning ahead of the polls on Tuesday.

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 10:09
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Obama mocks Trump’s focus on campaign crowds

Barack Obama has accused Donald Trump of failing to take the coronavirus crisis seriously and mocked the president’s focus on the size of his campaign crowds.

Speaking in Michigan on Saturday, the 44th US president said: "Did no one come to his birthday party when he was a kid? Was he traumatised?"

"The country's going through a pandemic. That's not what you're supposed to be worrying about."

He urged Democrats to head to the polls, "Three days until the most important election of our lifetime — and that includes mine, which was pretty important," said Obama, urging Democrats to get to the polls.

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 10:29
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Mexico protesters burn Trump effigy

Protesters in Mexico have burned effigies of Donald Trump and a border patrol agent on the US border, calling on Americans to reject the US president at the ballot box on Tuesday.

Dozens of activists marched to the fence separating Mexico and the US in the border city of Tijuana, chanting: Trump, we won’t pay for your wall."

"We're calling on people to vote against Trump and in favor of hope. Biden has promised us a humanitarian migration reform, we'll be watching to ensure the promises are kept this time," said Hugo Castro, a Mexican-American migrant activist.

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 10:49
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Here is my colleague, Andrew Buncombe, writing from Detroit on the drive-thru rally featuring Barack Obama and Stevie Wonder campaigning for Joe Biden:

‘Did no one come to his birthday party when he was a kid?’: Obama lets rip on Trump as he joins Stevie Wonder to campaign for Biden

‘Three days until the most important election of our lifetime – including mine – which was pretty important’

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 11:09
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Trump to hold succession of rallies ahead of election day

Donald Trump plans to hold five rallies in five states on Sunday as he launches a campaign frenzy ahead of election day.

The US president will hold seven more on Monday, the final full day of campaigning.

He remains down in the polls and at a cash disadvantage when compared to to his rival, Joe Biden.

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 11:39
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Trump wakes up, takes aim at ‘sleepy’ Biden

Donald Trump is wide awake and tweeting ahead of his final Sunday of campaigning, hurling insults at rival ‘sleepy’ Joe Biden.

“Our numbers are looking very good all over," he said, despite most polls giving Biden a lead.

Alastair Jamieson1 November 2020 12:28
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‘That’s what I do!'

Basketball fan Barack Obama was delighted to score a three-pointer while on the campaign trail with Joe Biden.

Here’s more on that viral video campaign moment… 

Obama shoots basketball while on Biden’s battleground campaign trail

The dunk was praised by NBA player Lebron James

Alastair Jamieson1 November 2020 12:33
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Young black men seen as political prize for both sides in US election

This long read looks into how Donald Trump’s campaign for re-election considers young black men a potential soft spot in Joe Biden’s coalition.

Young black men are a political prize for both sides in the US election

 The Trump campaign sees young black men as a potential soft spot in Mr Biden's coalition

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 13:11
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Trump accuses Biden of wanting to lockdown US ‘for years’ 

Donald Trump has accused Joe Biden of wanting to lockdown the US “for years” - while providing no evidence for his claim.

The US president tweeted: “Biden wants to LOCKDOWN our Country, maybe for years. Crazy! There will be NO LOCKDOWNS. The great American Comeback is underway!!!”

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 13:30
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'People are scared’: US election pitting neighbour against neighbour

Across the US, political signs have been set ablaze, cars have been vandalised and shouting matches have proliferated:

How the US election is pitting neighbour against neighbour

Across the US, political signs have been set ablaze, cars have been vandalised and shouting matches have proliferated

Samuel Osborne1 November 2020 13:54

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