With Congress bracing for the next coronavirus aid package, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is outlining Republican priorities as earlier programs designed to ease Americans through the pandemic and economic fallout begin to expire.

The assessment was included in at least one of President Donald Trump's written daily intelligence briefings at the time, according to the officials.

Eight Republican lawmakers were briefed Monday on the explosive allegations against Russia, while eight Democrats will be briefed Tuesday morning.

Former President Barack Obama and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer insist that plenty could change between now and the November election and that the party must be vigilant against Trump

The announcement, which was expected, caps an ugly dispute that had been brewing between Trump, his Republican Party and Democratic Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina.

Many Democrats blamed the Republican secretary of state for hourslong lines, voting machine malfunctions, provisional ballot shortages and absentee ballots failing to arrive in time for Tuesday's elections.

Trump made the request to senators from the 53-seat GOP majority during a private luncheon on Capitol Hill.

The effort has been aided by a Justice Department decision to dismiss its prosecution of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn.

The efforts to undermine Democratic governors who invoked stay-at-home orders are most pronounced in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, all three of which have divided government and are key to President Donald Trump's path to reelection.

Biden chided Trump for denigrating mail balloting and for opposing direct aid for the U.S. Postal Service. Trump, who voted by mail in Florida's presidential primary last month, recently said he believes mail voting allows voters to "cheat."