President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of California’s election process Sunday night after updated vote totals showed Republican candidate Spencer Pratt slipping into third place in the closely watched race for mayor of Los Angeles.
In a late-night post on Truth Social, Trump accused California election officials of unfairly treating Republican candidates as additional ballots continued to be counted, though he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
“Has anybody been watching the CROOKED Election going on in California,” Trump wrote. “Two great Republican Candidates are being cheated, and so is America, which if the Dumocrats are able to fulfill their mission, great trouble and consternation will follow. Watch this ‘Election’ closely!!!”
The remarks added another chapter to Trump’s long-running criticism of election administration in California, a state that has often been at the center of political disputes over voting procedures and ballot counting timelines.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office quickly responded to the president’s comments, pushing back against his claims as the political battle over the election intensified.
Trump’s criticism came as newly released results showed movement in the race for second place in the Los Angeles mayoral contest. Pratt, a registered Republican who has received Trump’s endorsement, fell behind City Council member Nithya Raman, a progressive Democrat who had previously trailed him in the race.
Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. As additional ballots were processed, Raman moved into second place, putting her in position to join incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in November’s runoff election.
Decision Desk HQ projected Raman as the winner of the second runoff position, prompting another response from Trump on Monday morning.
“No way this could have happened. Rigged Election!” the president wrote.
According to the latest vote totals, Bass led the field with 34.7% of the vote. Raman held second place with 27.1%, while Pratt followed closely behind with 26.7%. The margin separating Raman and Pratt stood at just 3,113 votes.
The close nature of the race has fueled intense scrutiny as vote counting continues. Elections that remain unresolved for days after voting concludes often generate political tensions, particularly when margins are narrow and control of a high-profile office remains uncertain.
Trump’s social media posts came only hours after a contentious interview with NBC’s Meet the Press ended abruptly following a heated exchange with moderator Kristen Welker.
During the pre-recorded interview, Welker repeatedly asked Trump to provide evidence supporting his claims that elections in California were being manipulated. Rather than offering specific proof, Trump turned his criticism toward the media and the network.
“They’re crooked just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And Meet the Press is crooked,” Trump told Welker.
As the exchange grew more confrontational, Welker continued challenging the president’s allegations.
Trump responded by accusing the network of bias.
“You’re a one-sided crooked network. Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough,” he said.
The president then ended the interview before its scheduled conclusion.
The developments underscored the continuing political debate surrounding election administration in California, while the narrow Los Angeles mayoral race remained under close watch as officials continued processing ballots and finalizing results.
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