Amid his desperate moves to hang on the White House, US President Donald Trump was told by his VP Mike Pence that he does not have power to challenge President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral victory, reported The New York Times on Wednesday.
“Vice-President Mike Pence told President Trump on Tuesday that he did not believe he had the power to block congressional certification of Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory in the presidential election despite Mr. Trump’s baseless insistence that he did,” the daily reported, citing unnamed people briefed on the conversation.
Trump, beaten by Biden 306-232 in the Electoral College with and with over 7 million
Popular votes, has refused to concede the election, reiterating unverified claims that the November 3 presidential polls were rigged.
Unsurprisingly, Trump has called the news report fake. “The New York Times report regarding comments Vice-President Pence supposedly made to me today is fake news. He never said that. The Vice-President and I are in total agreement that the Vice-President has the power to act,” he said in a statement issued by his campaign.
However, at a rally on Monday aimed at gethering support for two Republican senate candidates in Georgia, Trump openly reached for Pence's support in reinstating him at the White House.
"I hope Mike Pence comes through for us. He's a great guy. Of course if he doesn't come through I won't like him quite as much,” said Trump at the rally.
US Vice President Mike Pence is set to preside over the U.S. Senate on Thursday as it receives the results of the state-by-state Electoral College that determines the winner of Presidential elections.
