US judge halts presidential ballot recount, seals victory for Donald Trump

A US federal judge who had earlier ordered the recount of presidential ballot to begin in Michigan, has made a U-turn after he called that the recount be stopped, linking his decision to a state court ruling that found that Green Party candidate Jill Stein had no legal standing to file for ballots recount.

The ruling automatically seals victory for Republican and president-elect, Donald Trump over rival Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan.

District Judge Mark Goldsmith agreed with Republicans who argued that the three-day recount must end a day after the state appeals court dealt a blow to the effort.

The appeals court said Stein, who finished fourth in Michigan on the November 8 election, didn't have a chance of winning even after a recount and therefore wasn't an aggrieved candidate.

"Because there is no basis for this court to ignore the Michigan court's ruling and make an independent judgment regarding what the Michigan Legislature intended by the term 'aggrieved,' plaintiffs have not shown an entitlement to a recount," Goldsmith said of Stein.

Goldsmith had on Monday midnight ruled for a recount in Michigan, an order that dealt with timing, and not whether a recount was appropriate.