Is Joe Biden calling for a recount after Donald Trump’s victory? Fact-checking claims

Hours after the former president Donald Trump After declaring victory in the 2024 election, several social media users speculated whether President Joe Biden has called for a “recount” of votes, particularly in swing states. However, this is not true. Neither Kamala Harris‘ campaign nor the White House has made such a request. Biden held a phone call with Trump on Wednesday and invited the president-elect to talk about a “peaceful transition of power.”

Trump secured 292 electoral votes on Tuesday and won in Texas and Florida well ahead of Kamala Harris’s 224. “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” the Republican candidate told a cheering crowd at the Palm Beach County Convention Center early Wednesday morning.

Now claims have surfaced on social media that Trump “cheated” and Biden called for a “recount.”

“So Biden can emerge from his fever dream and become lucid enough to ask for a recount, but Kamala concedes faster than a pin drops??? Oh girl please b***hh** this is fucking EMBARRASSING,” said one person on X, a platform formerly known as Twitter.

“A recount is possible. Please wait for a recount to be possible. Do it. I know you are old and very senile, but please. Do a recount and we’ll give you all the soft serve machines McDonalds has,” another added in all caps.

Can Biden call for a recount?

Yes, a president can request a recount after the election results, but this typically depends on state-specific laws and conditions, such as the margin of victory. If the margin is within a certain threshold, some states allow automatic recounts. Typically, the candidate’s campaign covers the costs unless state law requires an automatic recount.