US election 2020: Joe Biden declares victory, so what’s next for Donald Trump?

Donald Trump filmed playing golf as Joe Biden is declared his successor — now attention has turned to his next move.

US President Donald Trump walks the golf course at Trump National Golf Club on November 7 in Sterling, Virginia as Democrat Joe Biden was declared the election winner. Picture: AFP

Donald Trump, refusing to concede defeat in the US presidential election, says Joe Biden is “rushing to falsely pose as the winner” after television networks declared the Democrat’s victory.

“We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: they don’t want the truth to be exposed,” Trump said.

“The simple fact is this election is far from over.” Trump underlined that states had not yet certified the results, and his campaign has launched multiple “legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor.” However, near-complete results issued by each state showed an insurmountable lead for Biden, allowing news networks to call the overall result, as they do every election.

I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2020

With networks calling pivotal Pennsylvania and then Nevada for Biden on Saturday, he is now projected to win at least 279 electoral votes, surpassing the magic number of 270 needed to win in America’s Electoral College system that formally chooses the president.

Trump claimed that in Pennsylvania, Republican poll observers were not permitted “meaningful access to watch the counting process.”

“Only a party engaged in wrongdoing would unlawfully keep observers out of the count room — and then fight in court to block their access,” Trump added.

President Donald Trump returns to the White House from playing golf in Washington, DC on November 7. Picture: AFP

The president’s defiant statement landed as he arrived at a golf course he owns in Virginia, in his first trip outside the White House since Election Day on Tuesday.

As Biden was declared the winner, and the streets around the White House erupted in celebration, Mr Trump was filmed hitting balls around the course.

Mr Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani was in Philadelphia on Saturday where he said Trump would keep pressing the case to have such complaints — particularly in key battleground Pennsylvania — addressed by US courts.

“Obviously he’s not going to concede when at least 600,000 ballots are in question,” Giuliani told reporters.

Asked for specific evidence of fraudulent ballots, Giuliani provided none. “How can I possibly tell you there’s fraud or no fraud?” he said, although he pointed repeatedly to observers being denied sufficient access to observe ballot counting in Philadelphia.

“They kept our inspectors away.” No evidence of election malfeasance has emerged, although complaints have been filed in multiple states, particularly about insufficient access to observing the vote counts.

Several congressional Republicans stood firmly behind the president, including Senator Lindsey Graham who insisted that “credible allegations of voting irregularities and misconduct” be taken seriously and investigated, not “swept under the rug.” “Election outcomes are not determined by media outlets but certified, accurate vote counts,” he said, adding that “officials in Pennsylvania should take allegations... seriously before certifying a final outcome.”

Mr Biden is scheduled to address the nation at 8pm on Saturday (noon Sunday AEST)

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting about what Mr Trump might do next.

Judges in Michigan and Georgia last week dismissed Trump campaign lawsuits challenging ballot counting there, while he is also seeking a recount in Wisconsin.

People celebrate in the streets of New York after it was announced that Democratic nominee Joe Biden would be the next U.S. President. Picture: Getty

Fox News reports the Trump camp faces long odds in his legal challenges, which would require him to win multiple suits in multiple states in order to stop vote counting.

There has even been speculation Mr Trump might run again.

Former acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told The Irish Times Mr Trump was “a very high-energy 74-year-old”.

“I would absolutely expect the president to stay involved in politics and would absolutely put him on the shortlist of people who are likely to run in 2024,” Mr Mulvaney is quoted as saying.

Other believe Mr Trump’s constant railing against “fake news” has laid the groundwork for a possible move into the media space.

US outlets such as Fox and The Week have speculated he might launch ‘Trump TV’, while others have flagged a return to real estate, where he made his name and fortune.