Donald Trump holds first rally since US election and repeats false claims that vote was 'rigged'

Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail on Saturday night, claiming he won the presidential election, vowing to "never surrender” and hinting that he would run again in 2024.

At his first rally since losing the November 3 election to President-elect Joe Biden, Mr Trump told thousands of supporters in Valdosta, Georgia, that there had been "overwhelming fraud".

The crowd chanted "Fight For Trump", "Stop The Steal" and "Four More Years".

Mr Trump said: "Our fight to drain the Washington swamp and reclaim America's destiny has just begun.

“We will not bend, we will not break, we will not yield, we will never give in, we will never give up, we will never back down. We will never, ever surrender.”

The president was campaigning for David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, two Republican senators who face run-off races on January 5.

If they both lose then Democrats will control the Senate, in addition to the White House.

The president said winning would be “revenge” for November 3.

He said: “The next great victory for our movement begins right here on January 5. And then we are going to win back the White House.”

Mr Trump added, “2024, a friend of mine said ‘Oh, don’t worry sir you're way up in the polls’. I said I don’t want to wait until 2024.”

The president’s crowd was packed tightly together outside an airport hangar. Mask wearing was sporadic. He was introduced by the First Lady, Melania Trump, who urged Georgia Republicans to “let your voices be heard”.

Mr Trump claimed to have won Georgia and Wisconsin, both of which he lost, and said Democrats could only win if they cheated.

He said: “You know we won Georgia, just so you understand. They cheated and rigged our presidential election but we'll still win it. And they are going to try to rig this election (in Georgia) too.

"We’ve never lost an election. We’re winning this election. I think I won the second one by more than I won the first one.

"When the numbers come out of ceilings and leatherbags what’s going on? The swing states we’re all fighting over, I won them all by a lot.”

He added: “If I lost I'd be a very gracious loser. If I lost I would say I lost, and I'd go to Florida and take it easy and I'd go around and say I did a good job. But you can’t accept when they steal and rig and rob.”

Before the event, Mr Trump telephoned Brian Kemp, the Republican governor of Georgia, asking for an audit of signatures on absentee ballots, and a special session of the state legislature. Mr Kemp refused.

The president lost Georgia by 12,000 votes. Mr Trump told the rally: “This election was rigged and we can’t let it happen again. Your governor could stop it very easily if he knew what he was doing Your governor should be ashamed of himself.

“Hundreds of thousands of illegal votes were cast in every state. We’ll be going up to the Supreme Court very soon.”

Mr Trump said if the Senate races were lost America would be controlled by the “lunaric radical left”.

He compared the Democratic Party to MS-13, saying both were “vicious but not stupid”.

The president said, despite his own claims of fraud in the November 3 election, his supporters must vote on January 5.

He said: "If you don’t vote the socialists and communists win. We’re going to watch every ballot. The answer is not to stay home. Let them steal Georgia and you’ll never be able to look yourself in the mirror. Hold the line.”

In the audience Connie Allen, wearing a Trump cowboy hat, said she still believed Mr Trump could win the 2020 election but "it'll have to be through the courts”. If he didn’t, she strongly supported him standing in 2024.

She added: "I think there was absolutely fraud, probably more than we even know. I want to hear just that he's not giving up. I think there needs to be a complete overhaul of the voting system."

Richard Honeywell, 51, said: "There's always a chance he still wins this time, there seem to have been a lot of shenanigans. I'm not sure it can be said the election was secure in Georgia."

Asked if someone other than Mr Trump should run in 2024, he said: "Donald Trump Jnr. I would say Dad but I'd take junior too, he's just as tenacious."

Ariana Morgan, 52, a photographer who travelled from New Orleans for the rally, said: “Absolutely to him in 2024. I hope by then the elections are actually fair and the issues resolved with fraud. He would definitely win. Just like he did this time.

"The Supreme Court needs to hear it otherwise 74 million people are going to be upset. We just want a fair election, we're not going to burn anything, if he loses we'll all go away and wait until 2024."

But Billy McIntosh, 71, a retired health and safety officer, said: “I think there’s senators who could do just as well (in 2024). Trump just likes to say too much on Twitter. Someone should say, 'Man, you got to stop'. I liked Romney. Maybe him again”

Read more: The Trump dilemma: President casts long shadow over race to clinch the Senate