To view detailed information on the Trump campaign's ongoing legal dispute of the results of the 2020 election, click on the links immediately following each date of entry. More detailed information is available here (scroll down to the section entitled "U P D A T E S").
The Associated Press maintains a table of all the Trump campaign and GOP election lawsuits arranged by state. View the table here (scroll down to the bottom to see the table).
View opinion and commentary about the election results and the ongoing legal dispute here (scroll down to the section entitled "Post-election Analysis and Commentary).
Jan 20, 2021:
On his last day in office Trump granted clemency to 143 people, including his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon.
Source:
Samuels, Brett. (January 20, 2021). "Trump grants clemency to more than 100 people, including Bannon". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-20
Trump gave a 37-minute farewell speech at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Watch the video and read a transcript on C-Span here.
Jan 19, 2021:
Trump released a 20-minute farewell video. Watch the video and read a transcript on C-Span here.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted the following:
Woke-ism, multiculturalism, all the -isms — they're not who America is. They distort our glorious founding and what this country is all about. Our enemies stoke these divisions because they know they make us weaker.
Source:
Axelrod, Tal. (January 19, 2021). "US secretary of State on last day in office equates 'wokeness' with totalitarianism". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-19
Pompeo spoke at the Voice of America headquarters six days ago. Read a transcript of his speech here.
Jan 17, 2021:
Trump released "The 1776 Report", which was written by a commission ordered by Trump in response to the "1619 Project" from The New York Times. Read the 45-page report here.
Jan 15, 2021:
Trump explodes at Nixon comparisons as he prepares to leave office | The Hill
Jan 13, 2021:
Trump issued the following statement:
In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind. That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for. I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You.
Source:
Forgey, Quint. (January 13, 2021). "Trump releases statement calling for 'NO violence' as House nears impeaching him". Politico. Retrieved 2021-01-13
Trump released a five-minute, pre-recorded video from the Oval Office. Here are excerpts of what he said:
Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could truly endorse political violence.
No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag. No true supporter of mine could ever threaten or harass their fellow Americans. If you do any of these things, you are not supporting our movement. You are attacking it and you are attacking our country.
Source:
Samuels, Brett; Chalfant, Morgan. (January 13, 2021). "Trump denounces violence one week after Capitol riot". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-13
Jan 12, 2021:
Speaking to reporters, Trump said the following:
On the impeachment, it's really a continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics. It's ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous. This impeachment is causing tremendous anger, and you're doing it, and it's really a terrible thing that they're doing.
For Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to continue on this path, I think it's causing tremendous danger to our country, and it's causing tremendous anger. I want no violence.
I think that Big Tech is doing a horrible thing for our country and to our country. And I believe it's going to be a catastrophic mistake for them. They're dividing and divisive, and they're showing something that I've been predicting for a long time. I've been predicting it for a long time, and people didn't act on it. But I think Big Tech has made a terrible mistake, and very very bad for our country.
And that's leading others to do the same thing [the tech industry's approach]. And it causes a lot of problems and a lot of danger. Big mistake, they shouldn't be doing it. But there's always a counter-move when they do that. I've never seen such anger as I see right now, and that's a terrible thing. Terrible thing.
When asked by a reporter about his role and personal responsibility for the January 6 Capitol violence, Trump said:
So, if you read my speech -- and many people have done it and I've seen it, both in the papers and in the media on television. It's been analyzed, and people thought that what I said was totally appropriate.
And if you look at what other people have said, politicians at a high level, about the riots during the summer, the horrible riots in Portland and Seattle and various other--other places, that was a real problem, what they said. But they've analyzed my speech and my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence. And everybody, to the tee, thought it was totally appropriate.
Source:
Gittleson, Ben. (January 12, 2021). "Trump lashes out at impeachment effort, claims it's 'causing tremendous anger'". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-01-12
Speaking at the 45th Mile of new border wall in Reynosa-McAllen, Texas, Trump said the following:
Before we begin, I'd like to say that free speech is under assault like never before. The 25th Amendment is of zero risk to me but will come back to haunt Joe Biden and the Biden administration. As the expression goes: Be careful what you wish for. The impeachment hoax is a continuation of the greatest and most vicious witch hunt in the history of our country, and it is causing tremendous anger and division and pain — far greater than most people will ever understand, which is very dangerous for the USA, especially at this very tender time.
Source:
(January 12, 2021). "President Trump Visits Border Wall in Texas". C-Span. Retrieved 2021-01-12
Jan 8, 2021:
Trump tweeted the following:
To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.
Trump also tweeted the following:
The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!
Source:
Samuels, Brett. (January 8, 2021). "Trump says he won't attend Biden inauguration". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-08
Trump, Donald. (January 8, 2021). "Trump | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-01-08
Trump's personal @realDonaldTrump Twitter account was permanently suspended by Twitter. In response, Trump tweeted the following from his @POTUS Twitter account:
As I have been saying for a long time, Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech, and tonight, Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and the Radical Left in removing my account from their platform, to silence me — and YOU, the 75,000,000 great...
...patriots who voted for me. Twitter may be a private company, but without the government's gift of Section 230 they would not exist for long. I predicted this would happen. We have been negotiating with various other sites, and will have a big announcement soon, while we...
...also look at the possibilities of building out our own platform in the near futures. We will not be SILENCED! Twitter is not about FREE SPEECH. They are all about promoting a Radical Left platform where some of the most vicious people in the world are allowed to speak freely...
...STAY TUNED!
Source:
Byrnes, Jesse. (January 8, 2021). "Trump suggests building own platform after Twitter ban". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-08
Hollister, Sean. (January 8, 2021). "Twitter is deleting Trump's attempts to circumvent ban". The Verge. Retrieved 2021-01-11
Speaking with the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (Republican) said the following about Trump:
I want him to resign. I want him out. He has caused enough damage.
I think he should leave. He said he's not going to show up. He's not going to appear ... at the inauguration. He hasn't been focused on what is going on with COVID. He's either been golfing or he's been inside the Oval Office fuming and throwing every single person who has been loyal and faithful to him under the bus, starting with the vice president.
He doesn't want to stay there. He only wants to stay there for the title. He only wants to stay there for his ego. He needs to get out. He needs to do the good thing, but I don't think he's capable of doing a good thing.
He still told his supporters to fight. How are they supposed to take that? It's an order from the president. And so that's what they did. They came up and they fought and people were harmed, and injured and died.
I will tell you, if the Republican Party has become nothing more than the party of Trump, I sincerely question whether this is the party for me.
Source:
Carney, Jordain. (January 8, 2021). "Murkowski becomes first GOP senator to call on Trump to resign". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-08
Speaking to members of the Republican National Committee yesterday, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said the following about Trump:
President Trump has not always chosen the right words. He was wrong with his words in Charlottesville, and I told him so at the time. He was badly wrong with his words yesterday. And it wasn't just his words. His actions since Election Day will be judged harshly by history.
If we are the party of personal responsibility, we need to take personal responsibility. We can and should talk about our major differences. But we must stop turning the American people against each other — and this Republican Party must lead the way.
Source:
Polus, Sarah. (January 8, 2021). "Nikki Haley on Capitol riot: Trump 'badly wrong with his words'". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-08
Jan 7, 2021:
Trump released a short, three-minute video addressing the violence at the U.S. Capitol yesterday. Watch the video and read a transcript on C-Span here.
In a statement posted on Dan Scavino's (White House deputy chief of staff for communications) Twitter account, Trump said the following:
Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th. I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, it's only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again!
Source:
Seipel, Brooke. (January 7, 2021). "Trump acknowledges end of presidency after Congress certifies Biden win". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-11
Fox News host Tucker Carlson said the following about the violence:
What happened yesterday, they're telling us, wasn't simply that a political protest got out of hand after the president recklessly encouraged it. That is in fact what happened.
Source:
Castronuovo, Celine. (January 7, 2021). "Tucker Carlson: Trump 'recklessly encouraged' Capitol rioters". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-11
In a statement posted yesterday, former White House chief of staff John Kelly said the following:
I watched today's actions on the Hill brokenhearted. Horrified. That's not us. This is an attack on our democracy, our way of life, and not just by the criminals who assaulted our Congress today.
We need to look infinitely harder at who we elect to any office in our land. At the office seeker's character, at their morals, at their ethical record, their integrity, their honesty, their flaws, what they have said about women and minorities, why they are asking office in the first place, and only then consider the policies they espouse.
Source:
Williams, Jordan. (January 7, 2021). "John Kelly after Capitol riot: 'Look infinitely harder at who we elect to any office". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-14
Jan 6, 2021:
Trump spoke at the "Save America" rally in Washington, D.C. Watch his speech on C-Span here. Read a transcript of Trump's speech on Rev here.
Later in the day, after protesters had breached barriers and forced their way into the U.S Capitol, Trump posted a short, 62-second video. Watch his speech on C-Span here. This video was later removed from YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, all of which cited policies about the spread of violence and disputed claims on the election.
Also later in the day, Trump tweeted the following:
These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long.
Source:
Lima, Cristiano. (January 6, 2021). "YouTube, Facebook and Twitter squelch Trump's video on Capitol breach
". Politico. Retrieved 2021-01-06
Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse (Republican) said the following:
Today, the United States Capitol — the world's greatest symbol of self-government — was ransacked while the leader of the free world cowered behind his keyboard — tweeting against his Vice President for fulfilling the duties of his oath to the Constitution. Lies have consequences. This violence was the inevitable and ugly outcome of the President's addiction to constantly stoking division.
Source:
Manchester, Julia. (January 6, 2021). "Sasse blames Trump for riot at Capitol: 'Lies have consequences'". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-06
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton (Republican) said the following:
It's past time for the president to accept the results of the election, quit misleading the American people, and repudiate mob violence. And the senators and representatives who fanned the flames by encouraging the president and leading their supporters to believe that their objections could reverse the election results should withdraw those objections.
Source:
Williams, Jordan. (January 6, 2021). "Tom Cotton calls on Trump to concede, 'quit misleading the American people'". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-06
President-elect Joe Biden (Democrat) said the following:
Let me be very clear — the scenes of chaos at the Capitol do not reflect a true America, do not represent who we are. What we are seeing is a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It's disorder. It's chaos. It borders on sedition and it must end now...It's not protest. It's insurrection...The words of a president matter no matter how good or bad that president is. At their best, the words of a president can inspire. At their worst, they can incite. Therefore, I call on president Trump to go on national television now to fulfill his oath and defend the Constitution and demand an end to this siege.
Source:
Chalfant, Morgan. (January 6, 2021). "Biden condemns 'insurrection' at Capitol, demands response from Trump". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-06
Utah Senator Mitt Romney (Republican) said the following:
We gather today due to a selfish man's injured pride and the outrage of his supporters whom he has deliberately misinformed for the past two months and stirred to action this very morning. What happened here today was an insurrection, incited by the President of the United States. Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy. They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history. That will be their legacy.
Source:
Choi, Joseph. (January 6, 2021). "Romney offers scathing rebuke of rioters' attack on Capitol: 'What happened today was insurrection'". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-06
Jan 5, 2021:
Federal judge rejects Trump lawsuit to decertify Georgia results | The Hill
Trump tweeted the following:
The Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors.
Source:
Miller, Zeke; Colvin, Jill. (January 5, 2021). "Trump falsely says Pence can reject electors Wednesday as he focuses attention on VP's Electoral College role: 'I hope Mike Pence comes through for us'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2021-01-05
Jan 4, 2021:
Trump held a rally in Georgia. Trump's first remarks at the rally were the following:
I want to thank you very much. Hello, Georgia. By the way, there's no way we lost Georgia. There's no way. That was a rigged election. But we’re still fighting it and you will see what is going to happen.
Later in the rally, Trump said the following:
I hope Mike Pence comes through for us, I have to tell you. I hope that our great vice president comes through for us. He's a great guy. Of course, if he doesn't come through I won't like him as much.
Source:
(January 3, 2021). "President Trump Remarks at Georgia U.S. Senate Campaign Event". C-Span. Retrieved 2021-01-05
Trump tweeted the following about Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton (Republican) after Cotton said he would not object to Biden's Electoral College win on January 6:
How can you certify an election when the numbers being certified are verifiably WRONG. You will see the real numbers tonight during my speech, but especially on JANUARY 6th. @SenTomCotton Republicans have pluses & minuses, but one thing is sure, THEY NEVER FORGET! [tagged with "This claim about election fraud is disputed"]
Source:
Samuels, Brett. (January 4, 2021). "Trump warns Cotton after senator says he won't object to Biden certification". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-05
Brad Raffensperger said the audio of his phone call with Trump was leaked because Trump tweeted something (after the call) that wasn't true. Here's the tweet Raffensperger is referring to:
I spoke to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger yesterday about Fulton County and voter fraud in Georgia. He was unwilling, or unable, to answer questions such as the 'ballots under table' scam, ballot destruction, out of state 'voters,' dead voters, and more. He has no clue!
Source:
Folley, Aris. (January 4, 2021). "Raffensperger: 'If you're going to put out stuff that we don't believe is true, then we will respond in kind'". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-05
Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling (Republican) held a press conference to address claims of election fraud. Watch the full video and read a transcript on C-Span here.
Jan 3, 2021:
Gohmert talks of violence in streets after his lawsuit is dismissed | The Hill
In a voice recording of a one-hour call Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger yesterday, posted today by The Washington Post, Trump said the following to Raffensperger:
All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state...You have a big election coming up and because of what you've done to the president — you know, the people of Georgia know that this was a scam. Because of what you've done to the president, a lot of people aren't going out to vote, and a lot of Republicans are going to vote negative, because they hate what you did to the president.
Source:
Bowden, John. (January 3, 2021). "Trump asked Georgia secretary of state to 'find' 11.7k ballots, recalculate election result". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-04
Read a full transcript of the phone call here.
Jan 2, 2021:
Appeals court dismisses Gohmert's election suit against Pence | The Hill
11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday | The Hill
In a statement to The Hill, Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, said the following:
Vice President Pence shares the concerns of millions of Americans about voter fraud and irregularities in the last election...The Vice President welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence before the Congress and the American people on January 6th.
Source:
Williams, Jordan. (January 2, 2021). "Pence 'welcomes' efforts of lawmakers to 'raise objections' to Electoral College results". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-03
Jan 1, 2021:
In his ongoing effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election, Trump tweeted the following, urging his supporters to contact Georgia state Congressmen David Ralston and Mike Dugan:
NOW!
Contact House Speaker David Ralston & Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan!
They must:
Hear the evidence
Correct false statements
Demand a vote on decertificationRalston:
(404) 656-5020
david.ralston@house.ga.govDugan:
(404) 463-2478
mike.dugan@senate.ga.gov
Source:
Trump, Donald. (January 1, 2021). "Trump | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-01-01
Trump tweeted the following:
Before even discussing the massive corruption which took place in the 2020 Election, which gives us far more votes than is necessary to win all of the Swing States (only need three), it must be noted that the State Legislatures were not in any way responsible for the massive.... [tagged with "Election officials have certified Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. Presidential election"]
....changes made to the voting process, rules and regulations, many made hastily before the election, and therefore the whole State Election is not legal or Constitutional. Additionally, the Georgia Consent Decree is Unconstitutional & the State 2020 Presidential Election.... [tagged with "This claim about election fraud is disputed"]
....is therefore both illegal and invalid, and that would include the two current Senatorial Elections. In Wisconsin, Voters not asking for applications invalidates the Election. All of this without even discussing the millions of fraudulent votes that were cast or altered! [tagged with "This claim about election fraud is disputed"]
Source:
Trump, Donald. (January 1, 2021). "Trump | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-01-01
Trump, Donald. (January 1, 2021). "Trump | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-01-01
Trump, Donald. (January 1, 2021). "Trump | Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-01-01
Trump tweeted the following:
I hope to see the great Governor of South Dakota @KristiNoem, run against RINO @SenJohnThune, in the upcoming 2022 Primary. She would do a fantastic job in the U.S. Senate, but if not Kristi, others are already lining up. South Dakota wants strong leadership, NOW!
Source:
Coleman, Justine. (January 1, 2021). "Trump again calls for Noem to primary Thune despite her refusal". The Hill. Retrieved 2021-01-03