21 Dec 2020

Donald Trump denies plans to introduce martial law

From Morning Report, 8:18 am on 21 December 2020

US President Donald Trump is denying he plans to introduce martial law in the United States, after multiple news organizations reported there was a "screaming match" at the White House over the issue on Friday night.

Mr Trump met with a group of conspiracy theorists who urged him to seize the country's voting machines, appoint a special prosecutor to investigate voter fraud and to order the US military to take up positions in some of the key swing states.

Mr Trump is calling those reports, sourced by multiple White House officials, "fake news".

Washington Correspondent Simon Marks reports.