Key facts
- President Donald Trump claimed China illicitly acquired 220 million US voter files.
- He alleged "shocking vulnerabilities" in American voting systems.
- Trump stated he had declassified intelligence files to support his claims.
- The Chinese Embassy denied any interference in US presidential elections.
- US intelligence assessments previously concluded China did not interfere in the 2020 election.
- Trump advocated for strict voter ID laws and the SAVE America Act.
US President Donald Trump delivered a primetime address from the White House, accusing China of interfering in the 2020 election and alleging "shocking vulnerabilities" in American voting systems. Trump claimed China had illicitly acquired 220 million US voter files, including personal information, and that data in 18 states was "bought, stolen or hacked by China." He stated he had declassified intelligence files to support these claims, though he did not present evidence of the data being used to alter election outcomes.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington denied any interference in US presidential elections. These allegations contradict previous assessments by the US intelligence community, which concluded China did not interfere in the 2020 election. Democrats accused Trump of attempting to sow doubt about the security of the upcoming November midterm elections, with Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer stating that Democrats would fight against such interference. Former Vice-President Kamala Harris also accused Trump of trying to suppress votes by undermining confidence in the electoral system.
Trump also alleged that US voting machines are vulnerable to foreign adversaries and claimed that a Michigan investigation into voter registration fraud was constrained by the FBI. He further stated that the Department of Homeland Security identified 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote. Trump used the address to advocate for the passage of the SAVE America Act, which includes provisions for banning most mail voting and requiring photo ID for ballots.