Trump Says He Has Seen No Evidence of Cheating in the Election, but Nonetheless Sows Doubts

With early voting underway in many states, former President Donald J. Trump acknowledged Monday that he had seen no signs of cheating, even as he continued to sow doubts about the integrity of the election during a campaign swing through North Carolina.

Mr. Trump has long relentlessly contended that Democrats are conspiring to rig the election on Nov. 5, suggesting that his support is so strong that fraud is the only way he might lose. His accusation, for which he has not provided any details or proof, builds on his lie that he won the 2020 election. That claim is now at the heart of two criminal cases that accuse him of engaging in illegal activity in his effort to overturn the election four years ago.

At a news conference in a storm-damaged part of western North Carolina, Mr. Trump was asked by a reporter whether he had seen any evidence to suggest this year’s election would not be fair.

“Well, I haven’t,” Mr. Trump said. He added, referring to Democrats, “Unfortunately, I know the other side, and they are not good. But I have not seen that.”

Mr. Trump then looked behind him to Michael Whatley, his handpicked chairman of the Republican National Committee. Mr. Whatley said that although it was early in the voting process, the party was happy with what it was seeing across all 50 states. Mr. Trump’s allies have filed a flurry of lawsuits that suggest a broader effort to lay the groundwork to challenge the election results in November.

Mr. Trump’s comments came at the end of a news conference in Swannanoa, N.C., meant to highlight the region’s recovery from Hurricane Helene. Piles of debris and collapsing buildings lined the streets leading to Mr. Trump’s campaign stop, outside an auto repair shop. And yards away from where he was speaking, a car had been all but swept into a tree.