Donald Trump admitted defeat in the 2020 election for the first time on Wednesday night, telling Fox News: 'We didn't win.'
The former president, in a wide-ranging interview with Sean Hannity, conceded at last that Joe Biden had beaten him.
'We were supposed to win easily, 64 million votes,' said Trump.
'We got 75 million votes, and we didn't win, but let's see what happens on that.'
Donald Trump on Wednesday night appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show and for the first time conceded that he had lost November's election. The former president condemned his successor's handling of the country in the months since January, and said that he was sure many voters were regretting having voted for Joe Biden
The 75-year-old, seen at a June 5 rally in North Carolina, teased once again a run for the White House in 2024, telling Hannity that he was dismayed with the state of the country
Hannity asked his friend what he felt about Biden's handling of the economy, allowing Trump to list his concerns about his 78-year-old successor's policies
Residents of Atlanta, Georgia, are seen casting their votes on October 12, in early voting ahead of the November 6 election day. Trump on Wednesday finally admitted he lost
Trump's comments would appear to end seven months of his disputing the November 6 election, although his caveat of 'let's see what happens' does appear to leave open a flicker of hope of overturning the result - something which now seems incredibly unlikely.
Speaking to Hannity from his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey, where is spending the summer, Trump said that the five months of a Biden presidency were showing voters why he should have been re-elected.
He said the country was now in a 'shocking' state, but the solutions were evident.
'Look, when you talk about a strong military, when you talk about the economy, when you talk about we don't want inflation, inflation is going to kill the economy,' he said, listing his priorities.
'By the way, now you are going to see very soon a big interest rate increase all of a sudden, which is that is step one.'
He told viewers it bore echoes of the Carter administration where, from his inauguration in January 1977 until Ronald Reagan's inauguration in January 1981, inflation measured by the CPI averaged 10.4 per cent annually.
The prime interest rate, however, as Trump pointed out, was at 21 per cent.
'I was there,' said Trump. 'And you couldn't get anything.
'The economy came to a halt.'
The former president said that he was concerned about the shortage of lumber for construction, which he blamed on Canada's policies.
Supporters of the former president are hoping he runs again. Cars are seen on Long Island in New York on June 14, flying 'Trump 2024' flags
He also said the United States was moving away from being energy independent.
'We no longer will be energy independent. Within a matter of weeks. They are closing down everything,' he warned.
'What's happening is not to be believed.
'I'll tell you, the biggest beneficiary as Russia and Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.
'I mean, these people, they are going to make more money than they have ever made.'
Trump pointed to rising fuel costs, saying that when he left office in January a gallon of gas was $1.87.
'Now it is over $3,' he said. 'It's going to up to $5, $6, or $7, mark my words.
'Frankly, for our country, it is a disaster. It's going to stop everything.'
Motorists are seen lining up for fuel in Washington DC, when the Colonial Pipeline was taken out by a cyber attack. Trump said he was concerned at rising fuel prices
He then boasted about the bottom falling out of the oil market, during the pandemic, when travel ground to a halt and the demand for fuel dried up. Trump appeared to take credit for the low price.
'We had a point where we were getting fuel for $0.
'In fact, you would get, they would give you $38 if you took at,' he said.
'Nobody has ever seen anything like it. Now we had to straighten that out because that would have hurt our industry, but we ended up having a great energy industry, and we ended up with low prices, and now, we are not going to be - within a matter of weeks, we will no longer be energy independent, and we are going to be relying again on the Middle East and Russia and all of these other people because we are being led very, very stupidly.'
The former president told Hannity that he had 'said this during the debates and people didn't listen.'
Trump, seen dancing during a campaign rally in October 2020, said he is strongly considering a repeat run at the presidency
But he once again said that he was strongly considering attempting to retake the White House in 2024.
'The fake news does not like talking about it, but the numbers are really incredible, so I'm working to get a lot of good Congress people elected,' he said, referencing the 2022 midterms.
'And then, we'll be making a decision on 2024, but if you look at the numbers, people are liking me more than ever before.
'I think the reason is they are watching what is happening with our country, they are watching no energy independence, never has there been a scene like what is happening at the border, and the death that is being caused.
'This is not just border, this is death and criminals pouring into our country.
'They are looking at the economy and inflation, looking at interest rates and gasoline prices, and I guess it is making me very popular.'
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