Trump Alleges 'Shocking Vulnerabilities' in US Election Security, Accuses China of Interference

In a primetime address from the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump leveled accusations of "shocking vulnerabilities" within American voting systems and alleged that China interfered in the 2020 presidential election. Trump, who has consistently made unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election, stated he had declassified intelligence files purportedly supporting his assertion that Beijing sought to influence the outcome in favor of Joe Biden.

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Trump alleges 'shocking vulnerabilities' in US election security ahead of midterms

However, the U.S. intelligence community has previously concluded that China did not interfere in the 2020 election. A 2021 report by the U.S. National Intelligence Council stated with "high confidence" that China did not engage in interference efforts and only considered, but did not deploy, influence efforts aimed at changing the election's outcome. Trump did not present evidence that China had used the allegedly acquired voter data, which he claimed included 220 million files from 18 states that were "bought, stolen or hacked", to alter voting systems or influence results.

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Trump, who spoke from the White House on Thursday, has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud and foreign meddling in the 2020 election which he lost to Joe Biden.

Responding to Trump's speech, the Chinese Embassy in Washington asserted that Beijing "has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections." Meanwhile, Democrats criticized Trump's remarks, accusing him of attempting to sow doubt about the security of the upcoming November midterm elections. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer stated on social media, "in America, voters choose their leaders, not the other way around," and vowed that Democrats would "fight like hell" to ensure free and fair voting.

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The US intelligence community has previously concluded China did not interfere in the 2020 election.

The president's claims come at a time when a Washington Post-Ipsos poll indicated a drop in his approval rating to 37%, with many voters expressing pessimism regarding the cost of living and the ongoing conflict with Iran. Trump also alleged during his address that U.S. voting machines are highly susceptible to interference from foreign adversaries, including Russia, China, and Iran.

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We assess that China did not deploy interference efforts and considered but did not deploy influence efforts intended to change the outcome of the US presidential election.