US President Donald Trump is continuing to question the outcome of the American election as his wife Melania tweeted that "every legal" vote should be counted.
The First Lady said on Twitter: "The American people deserve fair elections. Every legal - not illegal - vote should be counted. We must protect our democracy with complete transparency."
Mr Trump also took to Twitter as he continued to deny that his term in the White House will end next January.
"Since when does the lamestream media call who our next president will be?" he said. Earlier, he wrongly claimed that the election had been "stolen" from him.
The American people deserve fair elections. Every legal - not illegal - vote should be counted. We must protect our democracy with complete transparency.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) November 8, 2020
After the declaration yesterday that Democrat Joe Biden had won the race for the White House, President Trump and his allies made one thing clear: he does not plan to concede anytime soon.
The Republican has pledged to go forward with a legal strategy that he hopes will overturn state results that gave Mr Biden the win in Tuesday's vote.
US President @realDonaldTrump is this evening continuing to question the outcome of #Election2020 @rtenews https://t.co/BXB8Eythbd
— Brian O'Donovan (@BrianOD_News) November 8, 2020
"The simple fact is this election is far from over," Mr Trump said in a statement released by his campaign.
"Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor."
The president's allies and advisers privately admitted that the former New York businessman's chances of overturning the election results and staying in the White House were slim.
While preparing for an eventual concession, they called for time to let the legal challenges run their course.
"He should allow the recounts to go forward, file whatever claims there are, and then if nothing changes he should concede," said one Trump advisor.
Read more:
History maker Kamala Harris to be first female US Vice President
Full US election map of results
What happens now? From the transition to the inauguration
One of the most prominent Republicans in the US Congress today urged Donald Trump to "fight hard" and not concede his loss to Joe Biden in the race for the White House.
"We will work with Biden if he wins, but Trump has not lost," Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on Fox News. "Do not concede, Mr. President. Fight hard."
Mr Graham baselessly alleged "shenanigans" related to mailed ballots, the method a large number of Americans preferred in Tuesday's election due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"It's the wild-wild west when it comes to mail-in balloting," said Mr Graham, a former Trump critic turned unstinting supporter.
There is no evidence that fraud has ever been a significant problem affecting mail-in voting in US presidential elections.
Other top Republicans were more guarded in their comments, but nonetheless refused to acknowledge Mr Biden had won, saying legal challenges must go forward and vote counting must continue.
"What we need in the presidential race is to make sure every legal vote is counted, every recount is completed, and every legal challenge should be heard," Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in the House of Representatives, said on Fox News.
"It is then and only then that America will decide who won the race."
The Trump campaign and Republicans have brought numerous lawsuits over alleged election irregularities. Judges tossed cases in Georgia, Michigan and Nevada.
In Pennsylvania, judges sided with Republicans and ordered some provisional ballots set aside and granted Republican observers greater access to vote counting.
Legal experts said the legal challenges were too narrow in scope to have an impact on the outcome of the election.
Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to raise at least $60 million to fund legal challenges, sources told Reuters.
"He should make sure every vote is counted and demand transparency. That puts him on solid rhetorical grounds," said another former White House official.
Mr Trump was at his golf property in Virginia when the race was called for Mr Biden.
Clusters of Biden supporters lined two blocks of his motorcade's route back yesterday afternoon.
Mr Trump re-entered the White House wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat, looking glum with a cell phone in his hand. Biden supporters gathered and celebrated loudly near the White House.
Republicans are worried that Mr Trump could tarnish his legacy if he does not eventually make a graceful exit, eroding his future political power.
"It will be impossible for him to run again in 2024 if he's seen as a sore loser," a congressional Republican source said.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham, a staunch Trump defender, on Friday urged the president, if and when the time came, to accept an unfavourable outcome with "grace and composure".
The Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board wrote that Mr Trump "needs evidence to prove voter fraud."
One Trump adviser said White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows would likely be the aide who would raise with Trump the idea of conceding.
Mr Meadows was diagnosed with the coronavirus this week and is under quarantine.
Another former adviser said Vice President Mike Pence or senior adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner would have the job of telling the president when it was time to concede.
Indeed, CNN reported late yesterday that Mr Kushner had approached Mr Trump about conceding. A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"President Trump is entitled to take the time he wants to absorb this. It was close and it's not productive to demand an immediate concession," said Ari Fleischer, who was a White House press secretary in the George W Bush administration.
"The best thing to keep this country together is to give the president a reasonable period of time to accept the results."
