By Staff, Agencies
US President Donald Trump again raised the alarm about possible voter fraud in the November election, saying the situation is “out of control” and the vote is “rigged.”
“Breaking News: 50,000 OHIO VOTERS getting WRONG ABSENTEE BALLOTS. Out of control. A Rigged Election!!!” Trump tweeted on Friday, days after he refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the reelection bid to Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Last week, Trump tweeted “Rigged election!” and also posted a video purportedly showing a man caught on camera while paying cash for ballot exchange.
The video showed a man buying a registration form for an absentee ballot for a voter, giving him “pocket money” of $200 and expecting to collect his ballot when the voter receives it.
Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on mail voting, claiming that mail-in ballots lead to mass voter fraud.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic however millions of people prefer not to vote in person.
At least in nine states, every registered voter will automatically be mailed an application to request an absentee ballot.
Experts believe that by escalating his ongoing attack on mail-in ballots, Trump is preparing the ground to contest the election as” rigged or fraudulent” in the event of losing the election, and push the US into chaos.
Last month, Trump refused to commit to leave office peacefully if he loses the election.
Asked if he loses this year’s election to Biden, will he accept the results and commit to a peaceful transition, Trump said, “We’re going to have to see what happens.”
“We’ll want to have — get rid of the ballots and you’ll have a very — we’ll have a very peaceful — there won’t be a transfer, frankly. There’ll be a continuation,’ he said.
American political commentator and journalist Thomas Friedman has warned that the United States could be headed towards a second civil war after Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and relinquish his office should he lose in the election.
“You know, I began my career as a journalist covering Lebanon’s second civil war in its history, and I’m terrified to find myself ending my career as a journalist covering America’s potential second civil war in its history,” Friedman told Anderson Cooper in an interview with CNN.
“You really believe that?” Cooper asked.
“I think what happened in the last few days is a six-alarm fire,” said Friedman, later adding, “The President of the United States has told us ‘Either I win the election or I delegitimize the election.’ Those are your choices, folks.”
The New York Times columnist also criticized Republicans for not standing up to Trump.
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