Trump has ‘no plans to concede’ election as Biden closes in on White House

Former vice president has taken lead in critical state of Pennsylvania

President Donald Trump has no plans to concede the election, his campaign team has said, as Joe Biden takes the lead in Pennsylvania and closes in on the White House.

"This election is not over," team Trump said in a statement on Friday. "The false projection of Joe Biden as winner is based on results from four states that are far from final".

Fox News had reported, citing unnamed sources, the president was feeling "sceptical" about the result of the election, suggesting he might throw in the towel as he continues to trail Mr Biden in a number of key battleground states he must win.

Mr Trump reportedly had a falling out with the Rupert Murdoch-owned network earlier in the week, after it called the state of Arizona for Mr Biden. 

Team Trump was adamant the race was not over in the state as local election officials continued to count ballots. Associated Press later called the state for the former vice president.

Matt Morgan, Trump 2020 campaign general counsel, remained defiant about his boss’s prospects on Friday, despite it looking all but impossible that the president will reach the 270 electoral college votes needed to win reelection.

"Georgia is headed for a recount, where we are confident we will find ballots improperly harvested, and where president Trump will ultimately prevail," he said in the statement.

"There were many irregularities in Pennsylvania, including having election officials prevent our volunteer legal observers from having meaningful access to vote counting locations".

Throughout the campaign and in the aftermath of election day, Mr Trump has repeatedly claimed the Democrats are trying to "steal" the election.

He has claimed voter fraud has taken place at polling stations in Democrat-controlled states and has specifically targetted Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where counting continues and a result has not yet been declared.

It has been part of a concerted effort by team Trump to cast doubt on the outcome of the result of the election,  a move that political analysts and observers telegraphed weeks ago.

The president is well within his rights to use the courts to remedy voter fraud, if it has taken place.

But neither he or his team has, so far, presented any evidence that there has been ballot irregularities in Pennsylvania or any other state.

Team Trump did score a small win in Pennsylvania on Wednesday when an appellate judge ordered that his poll watchers must be allowed within six votes of ballot counters.

But it remains to be seen if any irregularities have taken place  as his campaign appears to be suggesting. 

"In Nevada, there appear to be thousands of individuals who improperly cast mail ballots," Mr Morgan continued in the statement.

"Finally, the president is on course to win Arizona outright, despite irresponsible and erroneous 'calling' of the state for Biden by Fox News and the Associated Press."

He added: "Biden is relying on these states for his phony claim on the White House, but once the election is final, president Trump will be reelected."