Fact Check: Is There Evidence That Trump Won the 2020 Election?
What We Know
The claim that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election has been widely circulated, particularly among his supporters. However, extensive investigations and legal challenges have consistently shown that Joe Biden won the election. According to a report by Brookings, out of 62 lawsuits filed by Trump's campaign to contest the election results, 61 were dismissed, indicating a failure to provide credible evidence of fraud. The only victory was a minor procedural win, resulting in a win rate of approximately 1.5% for Trump's legal efforts.
Additionally, the BBC reported that claims of voter fraud were rampant during the election, but these claims were largely unfounded and did not gain traction among credible sources. Even Trump's own Attorney General, William Barr, stated that the Justice Department found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, further corroborating the lack of evidence supporting Trump's claims (Reuters).
Analysis
The evidence against the claim that Trump won the 2020 election is robust and comes from multiple credible sources. The Brookings report highlights the judicial failures of Trump's campaign, noting that even judges appointed by Trump himself did not support his claims (Brookings). This indicates a significant lack of judicial support for the notion that the election was stolen.
Moreover, the NPR and PBS fact-checks reinforce the idea that Trump's allegations of fraud were not substantiated by any credible evidence. The systematic investigations into the claims of voter fraud have shown that while isolated incidents occurred, they did not affect the overall outcome of the election (Campaign Legal Center).
The reliability of the sources used in this analysis is high. Brookings is a well-respected think tank, and the BBC, NPR, and PBS are established news organizations known for their journalistic integrity. In contrast, many of the claims made by Trump and his supporters have been widely discredited and lack credible backing.
Conclusion
The claim that Donald Trump won the 2020 election is False. The overwhelming evidence from judicial rulings, investigations, and statements from credible officials indicates that Joe Biden won the election fairly. Trump's legal challenges were largely unsuccessful, and claims of widespread voter fraud have been thoroughly debunked.
Sources
- Trump's judicial campaign to upend the 2020 election
- How US election fraud claims changed as Trump won
- Trump's 2024 victory gives new life to his 2020 fraud claims
- Fact check: Courts have dismissed multiple lawsuits of alleged electoral fraud
- Trump would have been convicted if not elected, DoJ
- Results of Lawsuits Regarding the 2020 Elections
- Fact-checking Trump's false claims about voter fraud and 'rigged elections'
- No evidence for systematic voter fraud: A guide to statistical analysis