Senior Republican lawmakers push back against Trump's efforts to overturn election results

An increasing number of Republican lawmakers are pushing back on US President Donald Trump's tactics to overturn election results showing his defeat against President-elect Joe Biden, and have raised concern that his tactics could hurt the COVID-19 crisis response and undercut a key pillar of democracy.

Even though party leaders and a vast majority of congressional Republicans continue to back Trump's efforts to challenge the results, more Republicans have spoken out against his claims in recent days, reported CNN.

Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Representative Kay Granger of Texas, and Representative Fred Upton of Michigan, all senior Republicans, have each raised concerns in recent days about the transition of power.

"If there is any chance whatsoever that Joe Biden will be the next president, and it looks like he has a very good chance, the Trump Administration should provide the Biden team with all transition materials, resources, and meetings necessary to ensure a smooth transition so that both sides are ready on day one. That especially should be true, for example, on vaccine distribution," said Alexander on Friday.

When asked about Trump's efforts to overturn the election results on Friday, Granger said that she has great concerns about it, adding: "I think that it's time to move on."

"I think it's time for him to really realise and be very clear about what's going on," she further said.

"No one has seen any real identification of any real fraud," Upton said when asked about the Trump allegations of widespread fraud in Detroit.

CNN reported Representative Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, saying that he was worried that Trump's claims are shaking the core of democracy.

"What I have a real issue with is making unfounded claims of fraud and illegitimacy.... And that has a real damaging effect," Kinzinger said.

The statements of senior Republicans come as Trump refuses to concede the presidential elections, and General Services Administration has yet to formally recognize Biden's victory, thus denying him access to contacts with federal agencies, funding to help ramp up government hiring for the new administration, and access to classified intelligence briefings, reported CNN.

Trump and his legal team on Thursday had intensified their campaign to change the results of the elections, with the President reaching out directly to Michigan officials and Trump's attorney Rudy Giuli holding a combative press conference.

Meanwhile, amid allegations of electoral fraud by Trump, Georgia on Thursday finished its statewide audit of the closely contested elections, confirming Biden's victory over Trump, according to a news release from the Secretary of State's office.

( With inputs from ANI )