By Beyza Binnur Donmez
ANKARA (AA) – With Election Day voting underway in several US states, President Donald Trump early Tuesday denied speculations that he would try to claim the crown prematurely, saying he will declare victory "only when there's victory."
"There’s no reason to play games. I look at it as being a very, a very solid chance of winning here. I don’t know how they rate the chances," Trump told TV show Fox and Friends in one of his signature call-in interviews.
Democrat Joe Biden is favored to win in most election models of corporate polling companies, but observers have warned that mail-in ballots expected to lean Biden may be counted after in-person ballots thought to lean Trump, which may give the impression of a Trump victory before all votes are counted.
Axios reported Sunday that Trump is planning to declare a premature victory Tuesday night if it appears that he is ahead in the race for the White House even if vote counting is still underway and key states have not been called. Trump immediately labelled it as another ''false'' report.
Following the report, Twitter said Monday it will add a warning label to any posts that prematurely declare a victor in the US presidential and congressional elections.
Republicans, including the president, have long blasted the social media and certain big tech companies for taking sides with the Democrats and interfering in the course of US elections.