A Democratic congressman has called for an investigation after former President Trump claimed Elon Musk's knowledge of Pennsylvania voting machines contributed to his victory in the 2024 election.
The comment, made during a recent speech, has fueled speculation among Trump’s opponents, with some interpreting it as an admission of election rigging. Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump has long been a vocal critic of alleged voter fraud, frequently claiming Democrats "stole" the 2020 election. However, he has not disputed the results of the 2024 election, which he won. His recent remarks, emphasizing Musk’s expertise in voting machines, have raised eyebrows and prompted new scrutiny.
What Happened
During a rally in Washington on Sunday, Trump told supporters that Musk possessed advanced knowledge of the voting machines used in Pennsylvania—a pivotal swing state in the 2024 election. knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers,” Trump said. “And we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide.”
While Trump did not directly claim that voting systems were manipulated, his comments quickly sparked controversy. Critics interpreted the statement as a potential acknowledgment of using Musk’s technological expertise to influence the election.
“Did Donald Trump just say that Elon Musk helped him rig the election?”
asked journalist David Leavitt.
Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat from Texas, echoed these concerns on X, formerly known as Twitter, asking if Trump had “confessed to yet another crime.” Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Daniel Goldman of New York has called for an investigation into the matter.
Context
Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, employs a variety of voting systems, all of which are required to produce voter-verifiable paper records and meet stringent security standards. However, a notable software malfunction in Cambria County during the 2024 election drew national attention when ballots had to be manually counted. Despite this, Trump won the state with 50.4% of the vote.
Adding to the controversy, a recent report from the non-profit organization Smart Elections highlighted concerns about potential vote tampering in the 2024 election. The report pointed to irregular data patterns and suggested that malicious code could have been introduced to some voting tabulators. However, these findings remain unverified.
Reactions
Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX): “So Trump is rambling on about he and Elon rigging the election?! Am I missing something or is he confessing to yet another damn crime?!”
Representative Daniel Goldman (D-NY): “‘Vote counting computers’? Not voter analysis software. This needs to be investigated.”
What’s Next
At this time, no formal investigation into the 2024 election results or Trump’s comments has been launched. However, the remarks have intensified scrutiny and calls for accountability.
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