Donald Trump May Challenge Results If He Loses, But What Are His Options

As the US presidential election nears, the two primary candidates  -- Republican nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic counterpart Kamala Harris -- are making their last pitch to the voters at multiple rallies in a day. But there's another thing keeping the US electorate and political observers on their toes. What will unfold if Harris wins? The reason? Well, former President Donald Trump has routinely claimed that a loss for him will only be due to Democratic interference. This has raised concerns that he may again cast doubt on the results, as he did in 2020 when he sought to challenge Joe Biden's win.

During a Michigan rally in September, Trump said, “If I lose, I'll tell you what, it's possible. Because they cheat. That's the only way we're gonna lose because they cheat.”

New safeguards for this election

New safeguards introduced for this election aim to reduce the chances of any efforts to undermine the outcome from gaining traction.

The new protections include:

• An electoral law enacted by Congress following the January 6 insurrection.
• Recent court rulings reinforcing electoral integrity.
• Increased vigilance from state election officials.
• More aggressive action by law enforcement agencies.

These measures have been put in place to prevent any recurrence of the violent Capitol scenes from four years ago.

What happened in 2020?

After his 2020 loss, Trump and his allies sought to challenge the election outcome through numerous lawsuits, all of which failed to alter or delay the results. He also pressured Georgia officials to "find" additional votes in his favour, and his supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Vice President Mike Pence from certifying Biden's victory. This election, however, Trump no longer has access to the presidential powers he wielded in 2020 -- a significant change in circumstances.

Trump, allies may question Harris win

Trump and his allies have been actively preparing to challenge the election outcome if he loses on November 5. In the event of a Harris win, he may pursue legal avenues or cast doubt on the legitimacy of her victory among his supporters, potentially leading to unforeseen reactions, reported Reuters.

Both Republicans and Democrats anticipate that counting could extend for several days post-election as mail-in and other ballots are processed and verified. If Trump appears to be trailing, the delay could prompt him to allege fraud and work to erode public confidence in election officials, potentially inciting protests.

He has also suggested punitive action against election workers and officials for “unscrupulous” behaviour, though he needs to secure a victory first to act on such threats.