(CNN) President Donald Trump made an explicit appeal to lawmakers and the US Supreme Court on Tuesday to help him overturn the results of an election he lost, his latest and most vocal attempt to cling to power even as his presidency comes to an end.
Speaking at a summit focused on the coronavirus vaccine, Trump was asked why no members of President-elect Joe Biden's transition team were invited to participate, since it is that team who will oversee the bulk of vaccine distribution.
"We're going to have to see who the next administration is. Because we won in those swing states," Trump falsely claimed.
"Hopefully the next administration will be the Trump administration ... You can't steal hundreds of thousands of votes," he claimed.
There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud, according to the federal government and Republican and Democratic election officials.
Nonetheless, Trump baselessly insisted he won the election and made a direct appeal to state officials and members of the Supreme Court to assist him in his efforts to subvert the will of voters.
"Let's see whether or not somebody has the courage, whether it's legislators or legislatures or a justice of the Supreme Court or a number of justices of the Supreme Court," Trump said. "Let's see if they have the courage to do what everybody in this country knows is right."
But there is a sense developing within Trump's legal team and what remains of his campaign staff that their efforts to overturn or delay the results of the election are coming to an end, multiple sources told CNN on Monday, despite what the President has said publicly.
Following the news of Rudy Giuliani's coronavirus hospitalization, staffers only speculated further that it's a matter of time before their legal efforts come to a halt completely. Giuliani is currently expected to appear via Zoom in front of a hearing with Georgia House delegates Thursday, though whether he ultimately does will depend on his condition, a source said.
Officials are also aware they are rapidly approaching deadlines that will certify results of the election and final rulings in some of their legal challenges.
"The calendar is dictating that courts and judges will have to come to final decisions soon, but the legal effort continues," Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told CNN.