Mainstream American media trying to rig election: Trump

US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has cast doubt over the validity of the result of the November election.

In a new fundraising email surfaced on Monday, Trump accused the mainstream American media of “trying to rig this election,” The Hill, a Washington-based newspaper, reported on Tuesday.

In the email, the billionaire businessman asks 30 questions about the “dishonest media”, and then at the end appeals to make donations to his campaign.

“All too often I'm asked about a 'poll' put out by a liberal organization that says the American people disagree with our common-sense reforms to fix our country,” Trump wrote.

“Well, [name of the person the email is sent to], with your help today, the next time I'm being interviewed, I will have my own poll that shows that the American people disagree with the dishonest media!” he added.

The email includes a link to a survey, titled “Mainstream Media Accountability Survey,” by the Trump campaign.  

It includes yes/no/no opinion answers to questions and statements like the following:

• “Do you trust CNN to fairly report on our campaign?
• “Do you trust the mainstream media to tell the truth about the Republican Party’s positions and actions?
• “If Donald Trump said or did half of the things Hillary Clinton has, the media would effectively end his candidacy.”

Trump has been under criticism over his inflammatory remarks and policy proposals such as temporarily banning Muslims from entering the country and building a wall along the US-Mexican border.

He is in danger of losing his grip on the Republican Party, with fears growing that the New York businessman is heading for a “landslide defeat” to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the November election. Clinton leads Trump by 6.3 points in the RealClearPolitics average of polls.

“We’re not just fighting against Hillary Clinton…,” the Trump email states. “We are running against the very dishonest and totally biased media!”

Addressing his supporters earlier this month, Trump warned that the upcoming presidential vote might be rigged.

“I’m afraid the election is going to be rigged,” he said. “I have to be honest.” He added he hears “more and more” that the November 8 vote may not be contested fairly.

Commenting on this, American political analyst Keith Preston said both major political parties in the United States have cheated in previous presidential elections.

“Both sides cheat in American elections; Democrats and Republicans cheat and that’s been known for many years,” the chief editor of AttacktheSystem.com told Press TV on August 2.

“There has been more blatant cheating in more recent times or it has become more obvious, particularly in this particular case involving the Democratic Party’s efforts to undermine the presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders,” he stated.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk