Trump campaign advisors reportedly urging him to declare victory early

Palm Beach, Florida - Some of Donald Trump's advisors have reportedly suggested that he declare victory over his rival Kamala Harris early before the results are fully in.

Donald Trump is reportedly being urged by advisors to declare victory in the presidential race early on election night so as to cause confusion.
Donald Trump is reportedly being urged by advisors to declare victory in the presidential race early on election night so as to cause confusion.  © KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP

According to The Guardian, sources close to Trump claim advisors say he should declare victory during a private election party he will hold at his Mar-a-Lago estate if either early results show him with an advantage in Pennsylvania or if internal pollsters signal that victory is plausible.

The Republican candidate pulled a similar move during the 2020 election, declaring himself the winner over Joe Biden, only to have major news outlets announce the opposite shortly after.

Trump later claimed the election was stolen from him and has repeatedly refused to concede.

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Trump's former White House strategist, Steven Bannon, is said to be against pulling the move again, reportedly arguing that doing so would make the former president "look foolish."

Will Trump accept the results of the 2024 presidential election?

Throughout the 2024 race, Trump has continued to push his unfounded claims about the 2020 results and has signaled that he also plans to deny this election outcome if he doesn't win.

Harris was recently asked about the possibility of Trump denying the results again, which she said would make voters feel like their vote doesn't matter.

"It is meant to distract from the fact that we have and support free and fair elections in our country," Harris added. "We did in 2020 – he lost."

Cover photo: KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP

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