US President Donald Trump opened his bid for a second term with a claim that the Democrats were trying to ‘steal’ the upcoming US presidential elections. During his address at the Republican
National Convention Trump accused the Democratic party of “using
COVID to steal an election”.

From the opening words, he said Republicans should be on alert for what he claimed was a Democratic plan to rig the contest through increased use of mail-in voting — a measure that Democrats are pushing so that people don’t have to risk catching COVID-19 in crowded polling stations.

Addressing the convention, Trump said, “They’re using COVID to defraud the American people, all of the people, of a fair and free election, and they can’t do that.”

“They are trying to steal the election,” he told party delegates.

“The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election.”

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Trump is trying to change the narrative in a campaign that polls show him losing badly to Democratic candidate Joe Biden, as Americans turn on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic chaos.

The 74-year-old also criticised Roy Cooper, the Democratic governor of North Carolina, saying that along
with other Democratic governors, Copper had imposed strict coronavirus restrictions only to hurt his re-election chances.

“You have a
governor who is in a total shutdown mood. I guarantee you on November 4, it
will all open up,” Trump said.

Earlier on Sunday, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden blamed Trump for not listening to scientists and “walking away” from the
coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed over 1.7 lakh American lives so far.

The former
vice-president further stated he was “prepared to do whatever it takes to save
lives”, including shutting down the country if scientists advised him to do so.

Trump was
formally nominated by the Republican Party to seek a second presidential term
in a curtailed convention on Monday.