Fact Check: "Trump won the 2020 election"
What We Know
The claim that "Trump won the 2020 election" is factually incorrect. The 2020 United States presidential election, held on November 3, 2020, resulted in Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate, winning both the popular and electoral votes. Biden received 306 electoral votes compared to Trump's 232 electoral votes, as confirmed by the 2020 Electoral College Results from the National Archives. The official certification of these results was delayed due to the events surrounding the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, but ultimately, the results were certified, affirming Biden's victory.
In terms of popular votes, Biden garnered over 81 million votes (51.3% of the total), while Trump received approximately 74 million votes (46.8%) according to the official election results from the Federal Election Commission.
Analysis
The assertion that Trump won the election has been widely circulated, particularly among his supporters. However, it is essential to evaluate the credibility of the sources behind this claim. The primary sources of election results, including the Federal Election Commission and the National Archives, provide clear and verified data showing Biden's victory.
Additionally, various legal challenges mounted by Trump and his allies in multiple states were dismissed due to lack of evidence. Courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, rejected these claims, reinforcing the legitimacy of the election results. For instance, a report by AP News highlighted that local officials had no legal basis to refuse certification of the election results, further emphasizing the finality of Biden's victory.
Moreover, the narrative of Trump winning the election has been fueled by misinformation and conspiracy theories, which have been debunked by multiple fact-checking organizations. The Wikipedia entry on the 2020 presidential election provides a comprehensive overview of the election process, results, and subsequent challenges, corroborating the official outcomes.
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The claim that "Trump won the 2020 election" is unequivocally false based on verified electoral data and the official certification of results. Joe Biden won both the popular and electoral votes, and extensive legal challenges to the election results were unsuccessful.
Sources
- 2020 Electoral College Results - National Archives
- PDF Official 2020 Presidential General Election Results - FEC.gov
- 2020 Presidential Election Unofficial Certificates Submitted ...
- Official 2020 Presidential General Election Results
- Election Results, Canvass, and Certification
- Election certification: Once routine, now politicized in the Trump era ...
- 2020 United States presidential election
- The Certification of the 2020 US Election Results is on Schedule. Here ...
