In what is either Trump's latest trolling of the already neurotic media, or just his conversion to "conspiracy theorism" much to the delight of Russian propaganda, "fake news"-spotting anonymous groups everywhere, moments ago the President-elect tweeted that he would have won the popular vote if "millions of illegal votes" were discounted.
“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,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
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
The statement, the latest in a series of 12 consecutive tweets provoked by Jill Stein's campaign for a recount in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania may ironically help Stein's cause should Trump's tweet be seen as "confirmation" of illegal voting during the presidential election, albeit in the other direction... although by now the entire narrative is so absurd and surreal, not even Salvador Dali would dare touch it.
Trump - who won the one vote that mattered - also tweeted that he would have won more easily if he had based his campaign strategy on winning the popular vote, instead of visiting states with a larger number of Electoral College votes.
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
Earlier on Sunday, Trump predicted that the recount effort in three states will not change the results of the election.
“Hillary Clinton conceded the election when she called me just prior to the victory speech and after the results were in. Nothing will change,” he tweeted. As reported yesterday morning, Clinton’s campaign announced it would participate in the Wisconsin recount, which is already set to begin this week, despite admitting there is no actual evidence of vote rigging.
Clinton is currently leading Trump by more than 2 million in the popular vote. Politicians including Bernie Sanders, have called for an examination of using the Electoral College to decide who wins the presidency, rather than the popular vote.
Trump warned during his campaign that the election could be rigged, though election officials scoffed at the claims, noting the country's use of a decentralized system in which ballots are counted by thousands of Democratic and Republican officials across the country.
In retrospect, it is Hillary who is now taking advantage of recount hopes resulting from an allegely rigged vote, while the latest twist to come from Trump himself is that the vote was indeed rigged with "millions of people who voted illegally" despite Trump's victory.
The recount push started one week ago after a group of election lawyers and computer scientists claimed the election results in the three states could have been manipulated or hacked by Russians.
However, there is no evidence of millions of people voting illegally, as Trump suggested on Twitter, an allegation which ironically would benefit Clinton should other states follow suit with similar recount efforts.
In short, a total mess, which probably is bullish for stocks.