On Nov. 7, the 2020 presidential election drew to a close as former Vice President Joe Biden was officially projected to become the 46th president of the United States. The victory of the Democratic candidate came four days after Election Day, bringing an end to an unprecedented and tumultuous race. 

Sitting President Donald Trump has refused to accept the results of the election, insisting that the election was marred by voter fraud. Despite his claims having been repeatedly shown to be false and his tweets flagged for misinformation, the president has not yielded in his refusal.

In order to protect the most important values of the American democracy, President Trump must concede the election. To continue professing baseless claims about the election’s integrity serves only to undermine the democratic systems that are so crucial to our country. A peaceful transition of power is a primary facet of the United States that has allowed the country to succeed. The president’s behavior threatens this necessary tradition.

Every presidential election in the United States since 1800 has resulted in a formal concession speech. Of course, there have been presidents who, like Trump, refused to concede once the election was called, choosing instead to wait for a variety of reasons such as recounted votes.

Though some have come out in favor of Trump’s claims, the president is receiving criticism on both sides of the aisle. Former President George W. Bush and Senator Mitt Romney, who ran against President Obama in the 2012 presidential election, have both spoken against Trump’s behavior, encouraging the president to accept his defeat. Fordham’s College Republicans have also acknowledged the victory of Joe Biden, wishing the president-elect well in his administration via Instagram. 

If President Trump refuses to concede, even after the legal matters have been settled, he will be neglecting a vital American tradition which has allowed the two-party system to emphasize peace over division. 

The voter turnout for the 2020 election shattered records, with Biden and Trump receiving the most and second-most votes in a presidential election in U.S. history, respectively. This turnout is something to celebrate, regardless of your political views. Democracy works best when every eligible voter is able to participate, and this election should serve as proof.

With mail-in and early voting laws revised this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the high voter turnout should not be surprising. Many of the barriers that previously hindered eligible voters, such as needing to take time off of work to vote, were removed. 

It is imperative that each and every eligible American is able to vote without hindrance. The 2020 presidential election surely serves as an indication that when traditional obstacles are removed, more Americans will vote. With a higher voter turn-out, not only will the results of the presidential election better reflect the United States populace, but more votes will be cast for local elections and legislation that may otherwise be overlooked. 

Media outlets and journalists have made dedicated efforts to fact-check all of the president’s claims about voter fraud within the election and mitigate the consequences of the spread of such misinformation. ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox News all cut away from press conferences involving the Trump administration touting claims of voter fraud in the election. Twitter has also flagged a large number of President Trump’s recent tweets for including false claims about voter fraud. 

While media outlets should continue these efforts, it is incredibly difficult to ignore the impact that the president’s claims will have. Many of the posts have gone viral, suggesting a spread that is difficult to contain. Placing unsubstantiated fear around the democratic process is a dangerous statement. To protect the tradition of a peaceful transition of power, it is imperative that the president accept the reality of the election.

Biden’s victory was a moment of celebration for many, but this does not mean that his administration should be exempt from criticism. Just as with previous administrations, Americans have a responsibility to hold their government accountable and continue to use their voices to promote positive change. At the Fordham Ram, we will remain dedicated to providing unbiased reporting as well as analytic reflections on the actions of the Biden administration.

Additionally, the attempts of the Trump administration to spread misinformation must serve as a reminder of the continued need to be skeptical. We cannot take claims at face value, whether we lean towards agreement or disagreement with the claim. The internet, though often a medium to quickly spread false information, contains a wealth of resources that work diligently to fact-check claims of politicians. 

The Fordham Ram congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory. We wish the new administration the best of luck in achieving quality and effective policy reform over the next four years, and we will continue to bear witness as a publication and as citizens of the United States.