WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — President Donald Trump said he believes that millions of people voted illegally in November’s general election, the “studies and evidence” suggested its why he lost the popular vote by three million votes, the White House said Tuesday.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer doubled down on the claim after the president raised it Monday night during a reception with congressional leaders.
“The president does believe that. He has stated that before,” Spicer told reporters at the daily press briefing on Tuesday afternoon.
Though Spicer stopped just short of saying himself that the claims are true.
“He continues to maintain that belief based on studies and evidence that people have presented to him.”
Despite the explosive nature of the accusations, and the continued references, Spicer said the president has no intention of launching an official investigation of the matter.
“No, I think he won very handily with 306 electoral votes, 32 states,” he said. “I think he is very comfortable with his win. … It’s a belief he maintains.”
He’d later add that it wasn’t his job to say whether he personally believes millions of ballots were cast illegally. While the president maintains his opinion on the matter, other Republicans have openly disagreed and debunked his claims.
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday that he’s seen “no evidence” of voter fraud. And Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who was openly critical of Trump during his campaign, urged the president to stop making the claims.
“I am begging the president: Share with us the information you have about this or please stop saying it,” Graham said.
Trump’s transition officials have previously pointed to the results of a 2012 Pew Research study that estimated one out of every eight voter registration forms is either inaccurate or not valid. However, pundits have also been quick to note that does not mean that those people are fraudulently voting.
