In a primetime address from the White House on Thursday (July 16), President Donald Trump claimed that China interfered in the 2020 U.S. election by exploiting vulnerabilities in the voting system. Trump stated that China accessed 22 million U.S. voter files, allegedly to prevent him from winning the election. He also announced the declassification of evidence supporting these claims and launched an “election integrity” website to disclose the documents.
During the speech, Trump accused a “deep state” within the U.S. government of hiding China’s actions from the public. According to Reuters, the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, led by former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, is involved in the declassification process. The move aims to validate Trump’s longstanding claims of foreign interference in the election.
However, reports from intelligence agencies, including the National Intelligence Council, have previously concluded that while foreign actors attempted to undermine confidence in the election, they did not alter any technical aspects of the voting process. PBS reported that experts maintain the 2020 election was secure, and no foreign actor altered voter registration, casting ballots, vote tabulation, or reporting results.
Despite these findings, Trump continues to assert that foreign interference affected the election outcome. CNN noted that the declassification effort has sparked debate within the administration, with some officials concerned about the potential impact on public confidence in the electoral system.
As Trump delivered his remarks, state election officials attending a conference at Mount Rushmore expressed concerns about the potential implications of his claims. Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs stated, “We’re very nervous because we don’t know what he’s going to say.”
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