Trump blames nonexistent 'surprise ballot dumps' for growing Biden margins


President Trump is trying to blame his lagging lead on a nonexistent conspiracy.
As votes continued to be counted on Wednesday morning, Rust Belt states started to tip in Democratic nominee Joe Biden's favor — something that was expected to happen as absentee ballots were counted after in-person votes. But Trump tweeted that "surprise ballot dumps" were actually to blame for Biden's surge, receiving a flag from Twitter for its misleading content.
Surprise ballot dumps simply aren't a thing. Large numbers of ballots registering at once are the result of ballots being counted, as democracy demands. Further debunking Trump's claim is the fact that mail-in votes, especially in vital swing states, were projected to lean toward Biden, in part because Trump encouraged his supporters to vote in person.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Many states only started tabulating those mountains of absentee ballots on Tuesday, leading to a delay in reporting full results and the outcomes of some states as a whole. If Trump has a problem with that delay, he should take it up with Republican legislatures that rejected efforts to start tabulating results earlier.
Biden's camp meanwhile rejected Trump's efforts to cut off the ballot count, but reminded the president it wouldn't go well for him if that happened. Kathryn Krawczyk
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
5 artfully drawn cartoons about Donald Trump's Epstein doodle
Cartoons Artists take on a mountainous legacy, creepy art, and more
-
Violent videos of Charlie Kirk’s death are renewing debate over online censorship
Talking Points Social media ‘promises unfiltered access, but without guarantees of truth and without protection from harm’
-
What led to Poland invoking NATO’s Article 4 and where could it lead?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION After a Russian drone blitz, Warsaw’s rare move to invoke the important NATO statute has potentially moved Europe closer to continent-wide warfare
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'