President Trump accused California officials of “cheating on the election” during an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, pointing to the state’s slow vote count as evidence that the result was being manipulated. California is still counting ballots from its June 2 primary elections, including late-arriving votes-by-mail nearly a week after Election Day.

PRES. DONALD TRUMP: Listen – listen to me – listen to me. There’s tremendous evidence. There’s nothing but evidence. KRISTEN WELKER: Well, it’s not been presented in a court of law. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: The election was rigged. It was a dirty election. And it’s happening again right now in California. KRISTEN WELKER: You’ve never presented evidence that the 2020 election was rigged. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: Right now, evidence is look at what’s happening in California. KRISTEN WELKER: Where’s the evidence to that? PRES. DONALD TRUMP: It’s four days – KRISTEN WELKER: The Republicans are doing well in California. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: In California, no, they’re not. They’re dropping fast because it’s a rigged election. Let me tell you, it’s four days and they aren’t even close to coming up with the – KRISTEN WELKER: That’s how they count the votes in California. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: Do you know why they’re doing that? Because they’re cheating on the election. KRISTEN WELKER: There’s – What? Do you have evidence to support that? PRES. DONALD TRUMP: It’s– all I have to do is look. All I have to do is look. KRISTEN WELKER: But that’s not evidence. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: And I listen. And I listen to people. And let’s see what happens. KRISTEN WELKER: But sir, that’s not evidence, and that’s how they count the votes in California– PRES. DONALD TRUMP: Do you think it’s appropriate that they have an election and five days later, they’re nowhere close to picking a winner? KRISTEN WELKER: State and local officials acknowledge they are slow. They’re urging– PRES. DONALD TRUMP: No, they’re crooked. KRISTEN WELKER: – they’re urging the votes to be counted quickly. That’s how they vote in California. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: They’re crooked just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And Meet the Press is crooked. KRISTEN WELKER: To be fair, I’m not crooked. But let’s continue. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: Really? Well, you play right into their hands then. KRISTEN WELKER: Let’s continue. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: You’re either crooked or you’re stupid. KRISTEN WELKER: Let’s continue. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: You play right into their hands with this stuff. You know that these elections are rigged. Your network knows that they’re rigged. Do you know that I won an election in a landslide and I got 94% bad press. KRISTEN WELKER: But Mr. President, you’ve never presented – PRES. DONALD TRUMP: You know why I got that? Because you have no credibility. KRISTEN WELKER: -evidence. But you’ve never presented evidence it was rigged. Let’s keep talking about, I want to talk about Todd Blanche. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: You have more evidence, there’s more evidence than ever presented. KRISTEN WELKER: Let’s talk about– PRES. DONALD TRUMP: Your elections in this country. We’re like a third world country. KRISTEN WELKER: But sir – PRES. DONALD TRUMP: Your elections are crooked and you’re crooked, and Meet the Press is crooked. And so is ABC and CBS and CNN. You’re a one-sided crooked network. Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time. KRISTEN WELKER: Mr. President, let’s – please, I traveled all the way to Wisconsin. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: I’ve sat in the rain with you– KRISTEN WELKER: I traveled all – I know. I traveled all the way to Wisconsin. PRES. DONALD TRUMP: I sat in the rain with you for an hour. On and off in the rain, and I’ve given you enough time. You ought to straighten out your press, because you know what? A country can never be great with a dishonest press.

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