Where is Donald Trump and what is he doing?

Donald Trump says he should've won the US presidential election and refuses to admit that he lost to Joe Biden.

It's more than a week since American adults voted and although the results have come in later than normal because of the time it's taken to count postal votes, Democratic Party candidate, Joe Biden has been declared the winner.

However, Donald Trump says there has been election fraud and that the result was 'stolen'.

No evidence has been given to back up this claim.

Mr Trump has promised legal challenges in several states where Mr Biden has won or is narrowly winning with votes still being counted.

He has tweeted saying "WE WILL WIN", but has only been seen a couple of times since the election was called in Joe Biden's favour.

So where has Donald Trump been?

On Saturday 7 November it was projected that Joe Biden would win the election, Donald Trump hasn't spoken publicly since.

For the most part the president has either stayed in the White House or travelled 25 miles to visit his golf club, Trump National in Sterling, Virginia.

He was playing golf when the election result was announced.

The president did make a public appearance at a ceremony marking Veterans Day, the US version of Remembrance Day, on Wednesday.

Mr Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery near to the capital, Washington DC, where he saluted during the American national anthem and placed his hand on a wreath while he prayed.

President-elect Joe Biden paid his respects at the Korean War Memorial in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

What's been happening since the election result?

Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to talk about his views on the election.

However, his critics say he is ignoring other important issues America is facing, such as coronavirus and the impact that has had on the US economy. There are also other more recent issues such as a tropical storm causing flooding in Florida as well as a helicopter crash involving US service members in Egypt.

They say that by not tackling these problems he is not doing the job of president properly. A role he's in until the new year.

"It seems clear Trump has checked out," said Norman Ornstein, a political expert quoted in the Washington Post.

White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement: "Any suggestion that the President has given up on governing is false.

"Just as he promised, President Trump is fighting hard for a free and fair election while at the same time carrying out all of his duties to put America First," he said.

As Donald Trump's team start legal challenges in some US states over vote counting and results, the president has repeatedly claimed there has been "a mountain of corruption & dishonesty" and that "People will not accept this Rigged Election!"

What has Donald Trump said about election fraud?

Mr Trump and his team say some postal votes should not be counted.

Donald Trump has claimed that votes posted and arriving after election day should not be included in the count, he says that some Americans voted in person and were also able to post a vote, meaning they voted twice. He also says that observers from his own party - who watch the votes being counted to make sure it's being done properly - were not allowed to do so.

But, there is no strong evidence to prove that these claims are true.

The president tweeted on Wednesday saying:

"Nobody wants to report that Pennsylvania and Michigan didn't allow our Poll Watchers and/or Vote Observers to Watch or Observe. This is responsible for hundreds of thousands of votes that should not be allowed to count. Therefore, I easily win both states."

Twitter marked the tweet notifying users that Donald Trump's claim about election fraud is disputed.

The Trump campaign will now try and have some postal votes discounted by arguing their case in state courts, with disputes possibly ending up in the highest court in the country, the US Supreme Court.

Even if that happens, legal experts say Trump's team is unlikely to be successful in changing the results.

There are also expected to be recounts of votes in some states, asked for by the Trump campaign, but this is not expected to change the outcome of the election.

A television screen showing Joe Biden is seen through a window near the entrance to the West Wing at the White House

So what now?

It's traditional for an outgoing president to call the president-elect and while other world leaders have called to congratulate Joe Biden, President Trump has not spoken to his rival because he still believes he should have won the election.

But despite Donald Trump disagreeing with the election result, it's unlikely to delay things. Unlike general elections in Britain, there's always a longer wait for a new president to move into the White House and take over.

First the votes need to be certified in each of the 50 states. That's normal and will happen over the next few weeks. By January, the US Congress will receive and approve the results.

The winner of the US presidential election then starts the job at noon on the 20 January. It happens at a ceremony called the inauguration which takes place in the capital, Washington DC. The new president and vice-president take an oath of office administered by the Supreme Court chief justice.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as president and vice president on 20 January 2021. Normally the outgoing president attends the ceremony.

BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher, has described Donald Trump as an "unconventional candidate unafraid to break long-established traditions."

"If he so desires, he could exit the office that way, as well," says Zurcher.

"While Mr Trump doesn't have to concede, or even put on a good face and attend Mr Biden's inauguration, he does have some legal obligations. He must authorise his administration to make preparations for Biden's team to take over."

When one president leaves the White House, there's normally a gradual transition of power from one administration to the other as it takes over.

However, with Donald Trump yet to admit that he has lost, that isn't expected to be as smooth a process as normal. Joe Biden's team is said to be preparing for legal action if the Trump administration continues to stall the handover.

President-elect Joe Biden has said that Trump's refusal to admit he has lost is 'embarrassing':

"I just think it's an embarrassment, quite frankly... How can I say this tactfully? I think it will not help the president's legacy."

You're fired!

Whatever happens, Donald Trump is still in charge and can make decisions as president up until the 20 January next year.

Just days after the election result, President Trump sacked his defence secretary Mark Esper.

He announced Esper's departure on twitter saying: "Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service".

In the summer the President and defence secretary Esper disagreed over the use of military force to deal with Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd.

Donald Trump wanted the US military to stop protestors, but Esper disagreed, and said active duty military troops should not be sent to control the protests.

Democrat Nancy Pelosi who is the speaker of the House of Representatives criticised the sacking: "The abrupt firing of secretary Esper is disturbing evidence that President Trump is intent on using his final days in office to sow chaos in our American Democracy and around the world," she said.