US Election Results 2020 live: Trump alleges ballot counting abuse

Trump loyalist who posted offensive tweets gets Pentagon job

A Trump loyalist and former Fox News commentator has been moved into the Pentagon's top policy job, defense officials said Tuesday, just a few months after he failed to get through Senate confirmation because of offensive remarks he made, including about Islam. Officials said Anthony Tata, a retired Army one-star general, will be performing the duties of the undersecretary for defense policy.

Top Pentagon adviser resigns after Esper firing

US defense officials said James Anderson, the top policy adviser at the Pentagon, submitted his resignation Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Anderson has been the acting undersecretary for policy since June. Previously he served as the deputy undersecretary since his confirmation for that job in August 2018.

McConnell says Electoral College will determine president

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday there's 'no reason for alarm' as President Donald Trump, backed by Republicans in Congress, pursues legal challenges to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden's election victory. Republicans are increasingly pointing to a December deadline as they give Trump time and space to exhaust his legal challenges. That's when the states face a deadline to certify results and a Dec. 14 deadline for the Electoral College to cast its votes.

Macron holds first talks with Biden

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday held his first telephone talks with Joe Biden since the Democrat was elected the next president of the United States, his Elysee Palace office said. The talks between Biden and Macron, who sought to form a solid working relationship with outgoing President Donald Trump, focused on international cooperation on the main global issues, it added.

US Republican Senator Portman says Biden leading in enough states to win presidency

The Ohio lawmaker said Trump has the right to pursue legal challenges on the results, including seeking recounts, but must produce evidence to support any allegations of widespread fraud. He added he hoped states and courts would move "expeditiously" to resolve the matter.

Pompeo promises 'smooth transition to a second Trump administration'

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday promised to ensure a "smooth transition" but insisted that President Donald Trump would be inaugurated again despite Joe Biden's projected victory. "There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration," Pompeo said in a testy news conference.

Turkey's President Erdogan congratulates Biden on his win

“I believe that the strong cooperation and alliance between our countries will continue to contribute to world peace in the future, as it has done so far,” Erdogan said in his congratulatory message, made available by his office.

UK's Johnson speaks to Biden, congratulates him on election

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said he spoke to Joe Biden after the Democrat's victory in the US presidential elections. "Just spoke to @JoeBiden to congratulate him on his election," Johnson wrote on his official Twitter account, making him one of the first world leaders to talk to the incoming president. "I look forward to strengthening the partnership between our countries and to working with him on our shared priorities - from tackling climate change, to promoting democracy and building back better from the pandemic."

US Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of republican bid to strike down entire Obamacare health law; argument concludes

Trump targets ex-FBI deputy director over Russia meddling probe

Trump casts aspersions on Pennsylvania electoral process

Trump now alleges 'ballot counting abuse'

Kamala Harris insists on wearing mask

'Making big progress, will win,' Trump says in latest tweets

Biden lead over Trump continues to grow in Georgia to 12,428 votes, up nearly 1,000 more votes from Monday's tally: Edison Research

President-elect Joe Biden has criticized Republican efforts to throw out the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as the law is formally known, in the midst of a deadly coronavirus pandemic and hopes to buttress Obamacare after taking office on Jan. 20. The justices are due to hear 80 minutes of arguments by teleconference in an appeal by a coalition of Democratic-led states including California and New York and the Democratic-led House of Representatives to preserve Obamacare.

In his memo, Attorney General William Barr was quoted as saying that while "most allegations of purported election misconduct are of such a scale that they would not impact the outcome of an election and, thus, investigation can appropriately be deferred, that is not always the case."

Top election crimes prosecutor in US resigns in protest after Attorney General's nod to probe allegations of 'voting irregularities'

Richard Pilger, the director of the US Department of Justice's Election Crimes Branch, has resigned after Attorney General William Barr sent out a memo to federal prosecutors giving them a nod to probe allegations of fraud in the 2020 US presidential polls. "Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications ... I must regretfully resign from my role as Director of the Election Crimes Branch," Pilger's letter read, as quoted by Sputnik. This development comes as Republicans, led by in Donald Trump have refused to accept win of President-elect Joe Biden, claiming widespread "voter fraud."

The president's refusal to accept the results means the election disputes could drag for weeks as states certify their tallies or push to mid-December, when the 538-member Electoral College is set to vote.