Trump Allies Coin ‘Legal Vote’ Media Mantra to Question Election
- Supporters avoid social media restrictions by hinting at fraud
- Trump brazenly claims victory, attacks election results
President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House on Nov. 5.
Photographer: Chris Kleponis/Polaris/Bloomberg
President Donald Trump’s allies including some of his children are amplifying the president’s attacks on the election system’s integrity with online claims that test the rules set by social media companies against disinformation about the vote.
The president’s unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud on social media have been labeled as misleading. Similarly, a Nov. 5 tweet by his son, Donald Trump Jr., calling for “total war” was restricted by Twitter, and as was a post by Eric Trump claiming that Democrats are trying to steal the election.
When the president has claimed without evidence that there is widespread voter fraud, his posts on social media have been labeled as misleading. Yet both the president and right-wing influencers are using seemingly benign phrases that nonetheless infer fraud -- and avoid action by social media companies.