US President Donald Trump delivered a primetime address from the White House on Thursday, accusing China of interfering in the 2020 presidential election and alleging “shocking vulnerabilities” exist within American voting systems. Speaking just three months before the midterm elections, Trump claimed he has declassified hundreds of intelligence files to support his assertions that Beijing sought to influence the 2020 results in favour of Joe Biden, reports BBC.
During the half-hour speech, for which journalists were unable to ask questions, the president accused China of the “illicit acquisition” of 220 million voter files. He alleged that voter data in 18 states had been “bought, stolen or hacked” and claimed those responsible for identifying these issues failed to alert Congress or government officials.
However, Trump did not provide evidence that this information was used to alter voting systems or impact election outcomes. The President’s remarks contradict previous assessments by the US intelligence community, which concluded that China did not interfere in the 2020 election. A 2021 report by the US National Intelligence Council stated with “high confidence” that Beijing did not deploy interference efforts, likely because they did not believe the potential rewards were worth the risk of being caught.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington told Reuters that Beijing “has never and will never interfere” in US presidential elections. Trump further alleged that US voting machines remain “extremely exposed” to interference from foreign adversaries, including Russia and Iran. He also claimed that a Michigan law enforcement investigation into a voter registration fraud scheme by a Democratic-affiliated group was obstructed by the FBI.
Additionally, he said the Department of Homeland Security identified 278,000 non-citizens registered to vote, though he did not specify if any had actually voted or affected an election. The address follows a Washington Post-Ipsos poll indicating Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 37 per cent, with voters expressing pessimism regarding the cost of living and the war with Iran. Democrats accused the President of attempting to sow doubt regarding the security of the upcoming November midterms. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer stated that “voters choose their leaders” and pledged that his party would fight against any “obstruction or interference”.
Former vice-president Kamala Harris suggested the president was trying to make the public lose confidence so they would “stay home” this November. Concluding his remarks, Trump called for the passage of the SAVE America Act, which proposes a ban on most mail voting and would require photo identification and proof of citizenship to register and vote. Although the President urged citizens to pressure their representatives, analysts suggest such efforts are unlikely to succeed unless Republicans abandon long-standing Senate procedures.
