Why I have no plans to concede – Donald Trump

Facing a disappearing pathway to victory beyond his control, President Donald Trump offered little indication he was prepared to concede defeat, leading those around him to wonder who might be able to reckon with a leader who has given virtually no thought to leaving the White House.

Even as vote totals now show him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in key battlegrounds, Trump has not prepared a concession speech and in conversations with allies in recent days has said he has no intention of conceding the election, people familiar with the matter said.

So far he has been bolstered in his stance by those closest to him, including his senior advisers and his adult sons, who have mounted an aggressive effort in the courts to challenge the results and have pressured other Republicans into defending him.

Top aides, including his chief of staff Mark Meadows, have not attempted to come to terms with the President about the reality of what is happening. Instead, they have fed his baseless claim that the election is being stolen from underneath him. That has led to some annoyance among staff, who believe Meadows is feeding the President’s baseless claim that the election is illegitimate.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence — who has not been seen since the early hours of Wednesday morning — is doing his part to appease Trump by soliciting funds for his legal defense fund.

Trump is not scheduled to appear in public on Friday, though an appearance at some point has not been ruled out. He spent the morning angry and frustrated, watching television while griping more people weren’t defending him on the airwaves.
In a written statement on Friday afternoon, Trump signaled his intentions to continue waging legal battle.