Top Republicans call for patience on vote counting in split with Trump

Supporters of President Donald Trump demonstrate outside the Pennsylvania Convention Centre where votes are being counted (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

Some high-profile Republicans have distanced themselves from Donald Trump’s attempts to falsely declare victory in the election and halt vote counting in Pennsylvania and other states.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Trump ally who won re-election on Tuesday in Kentucky, told reporters that “claiming you’ve won the election is different from finishing the counting”.