With the unanticipated results of the 2016 election, it has been drawn into the light that the election may have been influenced by more than just the president’s charming personality and outstanding policies. President Trump’s relationship with Russia has historically been bent in their favor. It is uncertain whether Trump and Russia were secretly allies before and during the election. According to what trump told an MSNBC reporter last December, “At least he’s a leader, unlike what we have in this country.”  It is also uncertain whether Russian hackers were able to interfere with the results of the 2016 election, tilting the scales to favor the candidate that was more affable with Russia.

President Trump has claimed on many occasions that the election is “rigged,” especially in his many tweets regarding that subject, such as the following, posted at 10:31 am on October 16, 2016: “The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary – but also at many polling places – SAD.” He asserts that the media portrayed Hillary Clinton in a manner that made her appear superior to her opponent. Trump also makes the arduous claim that there is voter fraud being instigated on a mass scale against him. However, voter fraud is extremely rare. A report by The Brennan Center For Justice revealed that only 10-31 people have successfully done impersonation voter fraud from 2000 to 2014, and in a government accountability office report, not a single person was charged with voter impersonation fraud in the month of October, 2014.

Trump brazenly states his opinions about democratic interference; however, when faced with claims of performing the same sort of malfeasance, he denies everything with assurance, saying, “I think it’s just another excuse [for the Democratic loss]. I don’t believe it.” President Trump currently has well-known ties with the Russian government and there is proof of this. The CIA director’s statement last April states that there is, “a tape recording of a conversation about money from the Kremlin going into the US presidential campaign.” These ties are the reason that it is suspected that the current president acquired his position through foul play. Also questionable is what Russia’s plans for Trump are if they were the deciding factor in the election. The possibility remains, and it’s still unsure whether the 2016 election was fairly won by Mr. Trump.