- In a primetime address, Donald Trump accused China of interfering in the 2020 election and raised concerns about voting system integrity.
- Trump claimed he had declassified hundreds of intelligence files supporting his allegations that Beijing attempted to sway the election in Biden's favour.
- The US intelligence community has previously concluded that China did not interfere in the 2020 election.
- In response, China's foreign ministry strongly denied the allegations, stating they were 'entirely fabricated'.
- Trump accused China of the 'illicit acquisition' of 220 million voter files, claiming that voter data in 18 states was 'bought, stolen or hacked' by China.
- Democrats accused Trump of attempting to sow doubts about the security of the upcoming November midterms, which will determine control of Congress.
- Trump's most significant claim was that China has meddled in multiple U.S. elections, including the 2020 election.
- He stated that the 'deep state' concealed China's election interference during his first term.
- Trump reiterated that Congress must pass the Save America Act to address election security, which he described as his chief legislative priority.
- Trump criticized ABC and NBC for not airing his address on their networks, suggesting their licenses should be revoked.
In a primetime address, President Trump alleged that China interfered in the 2020 election, claiming the 'illicit acquisition' of 220 million voter files. He asserted that voter data in 18 states was 'bought, stolen or hacked by China,' despite the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that China did not meddle in the election.1568
Trump's speech, delivered three months before the midterm elections, aimed to sow distrust in U.S. voting systems. He stated, 'Most importantly, addressing this crisis of election security demands that Congress must pass the Save America Act.' This act has become a legislative priority for Trump, who faces a challenging political landscape with low approval ratings.1011
In response, China's foreign ministry denied the allegations, calling them 'entirely fabricated.' Democrats criticized Trump for attempting to undermine the integrity of the upcoming elections, with former Vice-President Kamala Harris stating, 'The president is scared of your power, and he wants you to believe your vote does not matter.' California Governor Gavin Newsom described Trump's remarks as 'the ramblings of a mad king.'4
Despite Trump's claims, intelligence assessments indicate that China did not view either a Biden or Trump win as advantageous enough to risk interference. The president's assertions contradict previous reports, including one from Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, which stated that China did not attempt to interfere in the 2020 election.
Trump's address has raised alarms about the potential impact on voter confidence ahead of the midterms, with critics warning that his rhetoric could lead to decreased participation in the electoral process.
“China's foreign ministry strongly denied allegations of meddling in the 2020 election, calling them 'entirely fabricated'. Meanwhile, Democrats accused Trump of sowing doubt about the upcoming November midterms, with former Vice President Kamala Harris warning that Trump wants voters to believe their vote does not matter.”
BBC
