Donald Trump delivers an acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of Nov. 9, 2016, in New York City. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump’s obsession with proving he deserved to win The president has consistently flashed his apparent insecurity over the legitimacy of his election victory.

Donald Trump, now the most powerful man in the world, has spent much of the past year making the case that he deserves the designation he won last Nov. 8 — president of the United States.

Through tweets, campaign rallies and interviews, Trump has done little to hide his fixation with critics who point to the intelligence community’s conclusion that the Kremlin meddled to put him in the White House, and that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million.


Here are some of the ways Trump has expressed insecurity about the legitimacy of his election throughout the past year:

Electoral College

Trump, then a real estate tycoon and reality TV star with a love of political commentary, tweeted on Nov. 6, 2012, his disdain for the Electoral College system, implying it gave Barack Obama an edge over his Republican challenger Mitt Romney. “The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy,” Trump wrote.

Four years later, Trump changed his tune about the U.S. election system, and continually insisted he outsmarted Clinton.

— Nov. 15: ‘The Electoral College is actually genius’

The Electoral College is actually genius in that it brings all states, including the smaller ones, into play. Campaigning is much different! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2016

— Nov. 27: ‘I would have won’ the popular vote ‘even more easily and convincingly’

It would have been much easier for me to win the so-called popular vote than the Electoral College in that I would only campaign in 3 or 4-- — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

states instead of the 15 states that I visited. I would have won even more easily and convincingly (but smaller states are forgotten)! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

— Dec. 21: Winning the Electoral College ‘is much more difficult & sophisticated than the popular vote’

Campaigning to win the Electoral College is much more difficult & sophisticated than the popular vote. Hillary focused on the wrong states! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2016

— April 16: I did the nearly impossible: ‘Easily won the Electoral College!’

I did what was an almost an impossible thing to do for a Republican-easily won the Electoral College! Now Tax Returns are brought up again? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2017

Voter Fraud

Trump not only claimed without evidence that he lost the popular vote because millions voted illegally for Clinton, but he also launched a commission to investigate his own allegation.

— Nov. 27: ‘I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally’

In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016

— Nov. 27: ‘Serious voter fraud’ in three states

Serious voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California - so why isn't the media reporting on this? Serious bias - big problem! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2016

— Jan. 23: Trump Repeats Lie About Popular Vote in Meeting with Lawmakers

— Jan. 25: Trump vows to create voter fraud commission

I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017

even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017

— Feb. 10: Trump brings up vote fraud again, this time in meeting with senators

— May 11: Trump signs executive order creating voter fraud commission

Russia

In public comments, interviews and, most notably, tweets, Trump has dismissed ongoing Russia probes as a “hoax” and a “witch hunt.” The investigations, he has argued, are nothing more than Democrats’ attempt to distract from their election loss.

— Dec. 15: ‘If Russia … was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act?’

If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House wait so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016

— Feb. 16: Democrats ‘made up’ story to explain ‘badly’ lost election

The Democrats had to come up with a story as to why they lost the election, and so badly (306), so they made up a story - RUSSIA. Fake news! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 16, 2017

— April 1: Media who said Trump had no path to victory ‘now pushing the phony Russia story’

It is the same Fake News Media that said there is "no path to victory for Trump" that is now pushing the phony Russia story. A total scam! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2017

— May 2: ‘Phony’ Russia story ‘an excuse’ for losing

FBI Director Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton in that he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds! The phony... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2017

...Trump/Russia story was an excuse used by the Democrats as justification for losing the election. Perhaps Trump just ran a great campaign? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2017

— Aug. 3: Trump rallies his base against Russia investigation

— Sept. 22: ‘Russia hoax continues’

The Russia hoax continues, now it's ads on Facebook. What about the totally biased and dishonest Media coverage in favor of Crooked Hillary? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2017

— Sept. 23: ‘No, Russia did not help me’

— Oct. 29: Dems using ‘terrible (and bad for our country) Witch Hunt for evil politics’

Never seen such Republican ANGER & UNITY as I have concerning the lack of investigation on Clinton made Fake Dossier (now $12,000,000?),.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2017

...the Uranium to Russia deal, the 33,000 plus deleted Emails, the Comey fix and so much more. Instead they look at phony Trump/Russia,.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2017

..."collusion," which doesn't exist. The Dems are using this terrible (and bad for our country) Witch Hunt for evil politics, but the R's... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2017

...are now fighting back like never before. There is so much GUILT by Democrats/Clinton, and now the facts are pouring out. DO SOMETHING! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2017

Fake News

Trump’s tactic of blaming “fake news” for unflattering coverage has extended to his election win.

Intelligence officials, Democratic leaders and journalists — the president has claimed they’ve all pushed fake news to undermine him and his victory last November.

— Dec. 12: Trump suggests the U.S. intelligence community’s assessment that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election is a ‘conspiracy theory!’

Can you imagine if the election results were the opposite and WE tried to play the Russia/CIA card. It would be called conspiracy theory! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2016

— March 20: ‘Democrats made up and pushed’ Russia story as excuse for ‘terrible campaign’

The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a terrible campaign. Big advantage in Electoral College & lost! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 20, 2017

— June 6: I’d have ‘ZERO chance’ of winning if I relied on the ‘Fake News’ mainstream media

Sorry folks, but if I would have relied on the Fake News of CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, washpost or nytimes, I would have had ZERO chance winning WH — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017

—Sept. 22: ‘Fake News Media’ had ‘greatest influence over our election’

The greatest influence over our election was the Fake News Media "screaming" for Crooked Hillary Clinton. Next, she was a bad candidate! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2017



