“President Donald Trump attempted to claim without evidence that he won Michigan on Wednesday, but he seemed to succeed only in inspiring Twitter critics to new heights of snark. It all started when the president posted two tweets announcing that he was claiming victory in the Wolverine State as well as Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina before they were officially called. We have claimed, for Electoral Vote purposes, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (which won’t allow legal observers) the State of Georgia, and the State of North Carolina, each one of which has a BIG Trump lead. Additionally, we hereby claim the State of Michigan if, in fact,…..— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 4, 2020 …..there was a large number of secretly dumped ballots as has been widely reported!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 4, 2020 Twitter put a notice on both tweets for being misleading, especially because none of those races had been called. For that reason, many Twitter users found the president’s victory claim dubious at best. I’m no constitutional expert, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t how it works. https://t.co/NgrfXvL88O— Sharky Laguana (@Sharkyl) November 4, 2020 The 2020 election is not the moon. To be clear, there is no winner yet and you cannot just decide to declare victory because you want to. https://t.co/ohoaVtUZeV— Megan Pratz (@meganpratz) November 4, 2020 Today I learned that you can just \”claim\” states before votes are done being counted like you’re planting a flag. #Election2020 https://t.co/I30wJ0TdmO pic.twitter.com/AbAcMz76q0— Drew Scofield (@DrewScofield01) November 4, 2020 I wonder if Trumps thinks that the Electoral College is an actual school, where you can claim states like school kids on a bus trip claiming \”same seats.\” I mean, it’s an explanation. https://t.co/RGsUeHjx27— Orin Kerr (@OrinKerr) November 4, 2020 One Twitter user wondered what law allows a candidate to call “dibs” on a state. Y’all I can’t believe we all missed the \”Dibs\” section of federal election law. https://t.co/8pN5Yhn5FF pic.twitter.com/XwHVPIxovf— Ryan Famuliner (@RyanFamuliner) November 4, 2020 However, the president’s tweet ― especially his use of the flowery “hereby claim” phrase ― did inspire others to use his same dubious logic to make their own unlikely dreams come true. I hereby claim the White House, Mar-a-Lago, and Trump Tower in the name of Spain. https://t.co/xqhFn5ywH7— Dana Nuccitelli (@dana1981) November 4, 2020 I have claimed, for Electoral Vote purposes, Mordor (which won’t allow hobbits), The Shire, and Rivendale. Moreover, I hereby claim the Lost City of Atlantis for good measure too. So let it be written, so let it be done! https://t.co/e7xfmk2oDe— Nomadic Matt (@nomadicmatt) November 4, 2020 I have claimed Chris Evans for husband purposes. That’s how this works, right? I can just make shit up and pretend it’s truth? https://t.co/iUtvlO6F5Z— Elizabeth Cotignola 😷 🍁 🇮🇹 (@LaDiavolina) November 4, 2020 I claim this planet in the name of Mars! https://t.co/ZOyVZ7S4jV pic.twitter.com/fDIvn2pCuV— Nicholas Weaver (@ncweaver) November 4, 2020 I claim this baggy jacket is my king’s robe.I claim this rock is a diamond and want a million dollars for it.I claim this wig hat is a crown, and will defend it to my dying breath… https://t.co/rKO1iT6Ma4— Karen DaltonBeninato (@kbeninato) November 4, 2020 I claim that I am vengeance, I am the night, I am Batman. https://t.co/ofUp0whERa— Shelby \”VOTE TODAY\” Young (@shelby_young) November 4, 2020 I hereby claim health insurance— Moira Donegan (@MoiraDonegan) November 4, 2020 I have claimed, for Deeply Selfish and Unqualified Reasons, a spot in the NASCAR field at Circuit of The Americas https://t.co/gytK4xmyXD— Alanis King (@alanisnking) November 4, 2020 One person did have a suggestion for Trump if he wanted to see if this magical thinking approach really works. At this point, he should try claiming Greenland and see if that works. https://t.co/V0bHRW4Gya— Dave Lauer (@dlauer) November 4, 2020
