When news outlets called Joe Biden as the election winner on Nov. 7, many throughout the country and the world erupted into celebration. People flooded American streets with cheers, fireworks illuminated the sky after Biden concluded his victory speech, and international leaders, like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, extended their congratulations.

However, not everyone rejoiced in Biden’s win. The Republic GOP leaders and President Donald Trump still refuse to acknowledge Biden’s position as president-elect, turning their focus instead to claiming that the election is rigged. In just a few short weeks after Biden’s win, Trump released a video that he felt was “the most important speech ever made” and spoke for 45 minutes regarding his belief that the American electoral system was under “coordinated assault and siege.” This video, coupled with Trump’s tweets about winning the election flagged by Twitter to be perpetuating misinformation, made it evident to the media and the American public that Trump is refusing to concede.

Trump isn’t alone: many Republican leaders are joining his campaign against the election results. It took General Services Administrator Emily Murphy weeks to sign paperwork for the transition to the Biden administration to begin, resulting in the delay of over one million dollars in funding for government resources that aid in the transition. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Rules Committee Chairman Roy Blunt voted on Dec. 8 to prevent the inaugural committee from publicly agreeing that the 2021 inauguration will be for Biden. Such actions, of course, are delaying Biden’s team from preparing for their upcoming term.

It’s evident that many of the Trump administration’s claims are unsubstantiated. The Trump campaign’s star witness Mellissa Carone claimed that the turnout rate was over 120%, a fact that has been disputed by most state election authorities. Director of the Department of Homeland Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Christopher Krebs repeatedly asserted that the November election had the utmost integrity. Attorney General William Barr announced that the Justice Department has no evidence of fraud in Biden’s win. Such unsubstantiated claims are the reason only one of the over fifty election lawsuits that the Trump administration filed was won. 

Still, Social Studies Department Head Dr. Ann Tucci appreciated the filing and processing of the lawsuits in the first place. “It is my belief that any evidenced-based claims of fraud, voter intimidation, or any action that prevents a free and fair election should be investigated and cleared by our legal system; as such it would seem that it will only strengthen Biden’s projected win,” Tucci explains. “The United States has a federal justice system in place to ensure that our elections are free and fair, and our Attorney General, ex-director of the Department of Homeland Security, and federal courts have made statements, decisions, or rulings that this was a free and fair election.”

Unfounded and misinforming claims of election fraud are causing division and unrest throughout the US, doing more than just slowing down the transition process “imperative to national security,” as Tucci expresses.

“Misinformation about the election preys on uneducated white voters,” Senior Rebecca D’Ostilio claimed. “Those voters in turn create demonstrations that oppose minorities and oppressed groups.” Proud Boys members and pro-Trump individuals burned a church’s Black Lives Matter sign, stabbed four civilians, and shot one person at the Washington DC MAGA march on Dec. 12, proving D’Ostilio’s words right.

Seniors Sasha Palmer and Erik Wallin were not surprised by the Trump administration’s and their supporters’ reactions to the election results. “It’s ridiculous but an accurate representation of the past four years,” Palmer said. Wallin agreed, simply stating “This administration’s response has been shit.”

It should be made clear that the responses of denying election fraud and refusing to concede are perfectly legal. Trump does not need to concede or acknowledge the election results. Those actions are mere formalities. However, the election results are secured on Dec. 15, and Trump will be placed out of office on Jan. 20. 

The Trump administration can deny Biden’s win all they want, but the democratic process will honor the process nonetheless.